Mangroves are various types of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S.
Importance of Mangroves a. Buffer Zone between the land and sea. b. Protect the land from erosion. c. Play an invaluable role as nature's shield against cyclones, ecological disasters and as protector of shorelines. d. Breeding and nursery grounds for a variety of marine animals. e. Harbor a variety of life forms like invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and even mammals like tigers. f. Good source of timber, fuel and fodder. g. Main source of income generation for shoreline communities like fisher folk. h. Save the marine diversity, this is fast diminishing. i. Purify the water by absorbing impurities and harmful heavy metals and help us to breathe a clean air by absorbing pollutants in the air. j. Potential source for recreation and tourism.
Ecological & Economical importance of mangroves
Ecological significance: -
Mangrove forests are among the most productive terrestrial eco systems and are natural and are a renewable resource. Mangroves are not a marvel just for their adaptations but also for the significant role they play in our environment. * Mangrove ecosystem act as Buffer Zone between the land and sea. * Mangroves protect the coast against erosion due to wind, waves, water currents and protect coral reefs, sea-grass bed and shipping lanes against siltation. They are also known to absorb pollutants. Mangroves host a number of threatened or endangered species, different animal species- mammals, reptiles, amphibians and bird- offer nutrients to the marine food web and provide spawning grounds to a variety of fish and shellfish, including several commercial species * It has been suggested that the large loss of life (300,000 to 500,000 lives) in Bangladesh during the 1970