Mangroves

media type="custom" key="12270162" http://mangroveactionproject.org/mangroves

What is an ecosystem?

Ecosystems

The plants and animals that are found in a particular location are referred to as an ecosystem. These plants and animals depend on each other to survive. In a delicate balance, these life forms help to sustain one another in regular patterns. Disruptions to an ecosystem can be disastrous to all organisms within the ecosystem.

Activty 1: Using the card you are given media type="custom" key="13536480"

Where can we find mangroves?

Around the world / Around NZ Identify where mangroves grow around the coastal areas, estuaries or rivers around the world, including New Zealand.

Activity: media type="custom" key="13536550" What are mangroves? Mangrove is a specialized marine ecosystem consisting of a group of plants growing in muddy, loose and wet soils in tropical and sub-tropical areas, comprising of shallow, coastal waters, deltas and estuaries or lagoons. The specific regions where these plants occur are termed as 'mangrove ecosystem'. These are highly productive but extremely sensitive and fragile. Video clip on protecting the mangroves and why. http://channelg.tv/project-view/mangrove-action-project/

Where do they grow?

Why do we need mangroves?

**Ecosystem Services**
The provision of habitat for aquatic and terrestrial fauna and flora cannot be overlooked.

**75% of all tropical commercial fish** species pass part of their lives in the mangroves, where they encounter: > Other ecosystem services provided by mangroves include: 
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">nursery grounds
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">shelter
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">food

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**1. Protection fr****om strong winds & waves;** <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">Mangroves’ protective buffer zone helps shield coastlines from storm damage and wave action, minimizing damage to property and losses of life from hurricanes and storms.

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**2. Soil** **stabilization &** **erosion** **protection;** <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">The stability mangroves provide is essential for preventing shoreline erosion. By acting as buffers catching materials washed downstream, they help stabilize land elevation by **sediment accretion**, thereby balancing sediment loss. In regions where these coastal fringe forests have been cleared, tremendous problems of erosion and siltation have arisen.

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**3. Nutrient** **retention and** **water quality** **improvement through filtration of sediments and pollutants;** <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">Mangroves have been useful in treating effluent, as the plants absorb excess nitrates and phosphates, thereby preventing contamination of nearshore waters.

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**4. Flood mitigation;** <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 27.2px;">Lessen the force of floods.

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**5. Sequestration of carbon dioxide;** <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">Mangroves absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon in their sediments, thereby lessening the impacts of global warming; and

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**6. Protection of associated marine ecosystems** <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">Sea grass beds and coral reefs depend on healthy mangroves to filter sediments and provide nursery grounds for resident species.

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**Ecosystem Goods**
<span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">Traditional and indigenous coastal populations have found sustenance from mangroves, collecting products and resources in a sustainable manner for hundreds or even thousands of years, including:
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">firewood
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">medicines
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">fibers & dyes
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">food
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">charcoal
 * <span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">construction materials