4/4/2017 Mangroveforests:ecosystems|WWF

OurEarth

Oceans,seas&coasts

Coasts

Mangroveforests

Mangroveecology

Mangroveecosystems

Mangroveimportance

Mangrovethreats

Mangrove forests: ecosystems

Scarletibis
(Eudocimusruber), Mangroveforestsplayacentralroleintransferringorganicmatterandenergyfromthe
FrenchGuiana.
Largecoloniescan landtomarineecosystems.
onlysurvivein
healthymangrove
forests.
Thismatterandenergycomesfromdetritusfromfallenleavesandbranches,andformsthebaseofimportant
marinefoodchains.
WWF/RogerLeGUEN

Bacteriabreakdownthedetritus,releasingusefulnutrientsintothewaterthatcanthenbeusedbymarine
animals.Thesesamebacteriagivemangrovestheir"rottenegg"smellasthesedimentisoxygenpoor,onlybacteriathatusesulphur
forenergycansurvive.
Thedenserootsystemsformahomeforfish,crabs,shrimps,andmolluscs.Theyalsoserveasnurseriesforjuvenilefish.Manycoral
reeffish,forexample,spawninmangroveforests.Theyoungfishstayintheforest,wherethereisplentyoffoodandtheycanshelter
frompredators,untiltheyareoldenoughtomovetothereef.
Inaddition,mangroveforestsarenestingandmigratorysitesforhundredsofbirdspecies,aswellashometoawidevarietyofreptile,
amphibian,andmammalspecies.Forexample,theSunderbanmangrovesofIndiaandBangladeshthelargestmangroveforeston
EartharehometoBengaltigers,spotteddeer,saltwatercrocodiles,fishingcats,andvariousdolphinspecies.

Homeenespaol

GLOBAL GOALS AND DRIVERS

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PRIORITY PLACES & HABITATS
Forests

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Wildlife

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