Some tropical and subtropical coastal areas are home to special types of saltwater swamps known as mangroves. Mangroves may be considered part of shoreline ecosystems or estuary ecosystems. Mangrove swamps are characterized by trees that tolerate a saline environment, whose roots systems extend above the water line to obtain oxygen, presenting a mazelike web. Mangroves host a wide diversity of life, including sponges, shrimp, crabs, jellyfish, fish, birds and even crocodiles. They contribute to the mangrove food web and provide a rich environment for many marine species.
Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees, also called halophytes, and are adapted to life in harsh coastal conditions. They contain a complex salt filtration system and complex root system to cope with salt water immersion and wave action. They are adapted to the low-oxygen conditions of waterlogged mud.
Mangrove swamps protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (especially during tropical cyclones), and tsunamis. The mangroves' massive root systems are efficient at dissipating wave energy. Likewise, they slow down tidal water enough so that its sediment is deposited as the tide comes in, leaving all except fine particles when the tide ebbs. In this way, mangroves build their own environments. Because of the uniqueness of mangrove ecosystems and the protection against erosion they provide, they are often the object of conservation programs, including national biodiversity action plans.
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