All About Mangroves
Mangroves are specially adapted plants usually found where freshwater bodies meet ocean water. Most of the world’s mangroves are found in areas where the river meets the ocean.
The mangrove ecosystems in the Maldives are mostly situated around enclosed or semi-enclosed freshwater lakes on our islands. Maldives has the most diversity in mangrove species for tropical archipelagos in the region. Worldwide, there are 20 families and 69 species of mangroves, of which 8 families and 13 species are found locally.
Most mangrove areas are found in northern and southern atolls without any significant populations centrally. And of these atolls, most mangroves are found in the northern atolls. 150 out of our 1190 islands have mangrove systems, which is roughly 12% of the Maldives and amounts to an area of 1.4 km2.
What makes mangroves extra special is the fact that they can flourish in salty waters and muddy areas with little oxygen. This amazing adaptation is a great source of security for Maldivian islands that are surrounded by the ocean!
One of the main ways in which mangroves adapt to these unlikely habitats is through its root systems. The roots of mangroves are lifted above water into the air to get oxygen from air. Some mangrove species like Randoo (Rhizophora Mucronata or Red Mangrove) have roots like anchors and arcs, coming down from higher up the trunk. Kuhlhava (Sonneratia Caseolaris or Mangrove Apple) species have roots like pencils that rise up from the water, and Bodavaki (Bruguiera Gymnorrhiza or Scarlet Mangrove) have roots like bent knees. These special root formations are an easy way to identify some mangrove species!
When it comes to getting access to water and withstanding the salt, mangroves are again specially adapted. Randoo filters out the salt right at the roots and only take up fresh water, while Kuhlhava uses their leaves to filter out the salt. It is possible to find traces of salt which have been filtered out on the back of the leaves. Moreover, some of the salt is also gathered to older leaves and branches so when they fall off the tree, the salt leaves too!
Mangroves provide a lot of ecosystem benefits, the first of which is providing stability. This comes in the form of their extensive root systems holding the soil in place, stabilizing shorelines and also acting as a barrier to wind and waves.
In addition to this, juvenile fish find sanctuary within the root systems and spend most of their young days in mangroves before heading out to the coral reefs! Mangroves are a detritus-based ecosystem, which means that their leaf litter provides the nutrients needed for related aquatic and terrestrial food webs.
Mangroves are also famous for their crabs. Kandoo Kakuni is in fact the largest land crab in the Maldives. Moreover, mangroves systems are home to diverse bird populations, which receive safety, food, water, and nesting areas there. Mangrove flowers act as an attractor for butterflies and bees – making mangroves extremely ecologically diverse and a beauty to behold!
Check out our facebook page every Monday to learn more about Mangroves through fun facts in our #MangroveMonday series!
Written by Hulwa Khaleel
Photos by Adam Saaneez
References
MEE. (2017). State of the Environment 2016. Male’, Maldives: Ministry of Environment and Energy
MHHE. (2003). Faathah. Male’, Maldives: Ministry of Homeaffairs, Housing, and Environment.