Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Importance of Mangroves to the Ecosystem
Mangroves are a unique part of the coastal ecosystem. The fallen leaves and branches from the mangroves provide nutrients that support a variety of sea life. The shallow waters within the Mangrove swamp provide a nursery for young fish, crabs, shrimps, mollusks and rays. Mangroves provide a nesting area for hundreds of bird species. In the Galapagos Mangrove Finch, Medium Ground Finch, Dark-Billed Cocos, Herons, Yellow Warblers, Mockingbirds and Small Ground Finch all can be found in the Mangroves.
Mangroves help protect the coastline from erosion, storm damage and wave action. They prevent shoreline erosion by acting as buffers, catching the soils and other materials that run off the land and stabilizing the soils and nutrients lost from erosion.
living nature
4:50 PM
