“The mangrove resists devastation and wants to continue its growth, everyone can raise awareness and help it continue to benefit us.”
Mangroves are unique, special and vulnerable ecosystems, which by virtue of their existence, biomass and productivity provide important benefits to humans, such as goods, for the food security of local communities, as well as for their ecosystem services contributing to the protection of the coastline and are of particular importance for the mitigation of the effects of climate change.
These are ecosystems that develop in flat coastal depressions of marine or fluvial sediments. The plants that form them are commonly called “mangroves” and are adapted to brackish waters, in muddy soils deficient in oxygen.
In the mangrove swamp, animals and plants of marine and terrestrial origin converge to take advantage of its great biological productivity. The complex and beautiful assemblage is exclusive to the tropics and is also found along the Central American coasts.
Importance of mangroves:
- They protect coasts from tropical storms, erosion and high waves.
- They protect soils from saline intrusion.
- They provide nutrients to other neighboring ecosystems such as seagrass beds and coral reefs.
- They serve as sediment traps, helping to consolidate the beach.
- They serve as a refuge for marine and terrestrial biodiversity.
- They act as biological filters for contaminants.
- They are great fixers of Co2 and producers of oxygen.
COCESNA-GEREMAC’s Regional Management of Environment and Climate Change also reminds us in its brief infographic:
“Mangroves are coastal ecosystems of great importance for the shelter of marine-coastal biodiversity. marine-coastal biodiversity.
Mangroves are trees that tolerate both fresh and salt water and are among the few that have adapted to live in flooded conditions. adapted to live in flooded conditions.
Central America is a region with many mangrove areas, there are dozens of species ranging from 1 to 30 m in height. species ranging from 1 to 30 m in height.
They are a natural barrier against hurricanes plus they help improve water quality.