Mangroves – A Closer Look
Mangroves are unique plants that thrive in coastal areas where the sea ebbs and flows. These regions, known as intertidal zones, are covered by salt water during high tide and exposed to air during low tide. To survive in this constantly shifting environment, mangroves have developed a number of special adaptations.
Firstly, consider the soil in which mangroves grow. It’s soft and doesn’t have much oxygen. To deal with this, many mangroves have stilt roots. These roots act like scaffolding, raising the plant above the soft soil and helping it stay above water during high tides.
Oxygen is crucial for all plant cells, including those in roots usually buried underground. Normally, roots absorb oxygen from the soil through tiny pockets of air. But the soil in mangrove habitats is so dense and waterlogged that it lacks these air pockets. To get around this, some mangroves have special roots called pneumatophores. Like snorkels, these roots stick up out of the soil and draw oxygen straight from the air above.
Finally, let’s talk about the life cycle of mangroves. It’s pretty unusual! Many mangrove seeds start to grow while they’re still attached to their parent plant. Once these seedlings are big enough, they fall off. They float on the surface of the water and the tidal currents carry them to new places where they can grow.
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