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MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM - Its Threats and
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The term "mangrove" refers to a tidally in luenced wetland ecosystem
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within the intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical latitudes. Mangrove
Catfish + Imports & Exports also designates the marine tidal forest that includes trees, shrubs, palms,
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Fish Meal + Imports & Exports epiphytes and ferns (Tomlinson, 1986). The distinctive community of
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plants and animals associated with mangroves is sometimes referred to
Grouper + Imports & Exports as the 'mangal' (Macnae, 1968). The origins of the terms for mangrove
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Octopus + Imports & Exports are well researched by Vanucci (1989). She concludes that the word
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Pelagics
mangue is from West Africa, Senegal, Gambia and Guinea. The English
Salmon + Imports & Exports word mangrove is a derivation of the Portuguese or Spanish meaning
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Seabass + Imports & Exports grove made of mangue. Mangrove ecosystems are heterogeneous habitats
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with an unusual variety of animals and plants adapted to the
Tilapia + Imports & Exports environmental conditions of highly saline, frequently inundated, soft-
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bottomed anaerobic mud. (Khairnar et al., 2009). Not all mangroves are
Seafood Resources obligated to live in saline intertidal areas (Clough, 1992). Plants that are
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Calendar con ined to the mangrove are called true mangroves; plants that can also
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Definitions and Terms occur elsewhere are called mangrove associates (Tomlinson, 1986).
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Mangrove associates never grow in true mangrove communities and may
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Market Prices occur in terrestrial vegetation. The mangrove fauna includes terrestrial,
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Seafood Links marine, temporary and permanent animal species, all of which have
Tilapia Links different adaptations to cope with the mangrove environment. The
diversity of mangroves is high, but the variety of mangrove ecosystems
Tropical Fish Trade also makes it dif icult to produce general guidelines for conservation and
management of mangroves because each system is unique.
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Recreational Fishing Mangroves are found in depositional coastal environments where ine

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sediments, often with high organic content, collect in areas protected
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Articles tropical and subtropical intertidal regions of the world. The speci ic
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regions where these plants occur are termed as 'mangrove ecosystem'.
Featured Product Pages These are highly productive but extremely sensitive and fragile. Besides
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Weather mangroves, the ecosystem also harbours other plant and animal species.
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It has been proved that the presence of mangrove ecosystems on
LANGUAGE coastline save lives and property during natural hazards such as
cyclones, storm surges and erosion. These ecosystems are also well
known for their economic importance. They are breeding, feeding and
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nursery grounds for many estuarine and marine organisms. Hence, these
areas are used for captive and culture isheries. The ecosystem has a very
large unexplored potential for natural products useful for medicinal
Search purposes and also for salt production, apiculture, fuel and fodder, etc.

Custom Search Global warming is expected to result in the global sea level rise affecting
various marine habitats in the low-lying regions. Mangrove ecosystems
would be more vulnerable to the climatic changes, as directly in luenced
by tides. Mangroves are believed to keep pace with rising sea level by
continuous sedimentation enriching the ambient environment with
organic matter. Due to sea level rise the intertidal and supralittoral zones
are likely to be extended farther inland causing destruction of existing
mangroves and associated biota. The changes in the salinity
concentration may cause genetic erosion as well as change in the species
composition. There may be a total new assemblage of species in response
to the changing salinity regime. Climate changes coupled with
anthropogenic pressures and poor management practices may reduce
productivity and loss of mangrove dependent biodiversity, adversely
impacting ecological and socioeconomic bene its (Jagtap & Komarpant,
2003). Recognition of the environmental, social and economic impacts
associated with the decline and degradation of mangroves are now being
addressed through legislative, management, conservation and
rehabilitation efforts aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of
development on mangrove ecosystems.

Ecology:
Tidal action is a primary factor that determines mangrove ecology,
i.e. ecosystem processes. Once established, roots of mangrove plants
provide a habitat for oysters and help to impede water low, thereby
enhancing the deposition of sediment in areas where it is already
occurring. Usually, the ine, anoxic sediments under mangroves act as
sinks for a variety of heavy (trace) metals which are scavenged from the
overlying seawater by colloidal particles in the sediments. In areas of the
world where mangroves have been removed for development purposes,
the disturbance of these underlying sediments often creates problems of
trace metal contamination of seawater and biota. Mangroves protect the
coast from erosion, surge storms (especially during hurricanes), and
tsunamis. Their massive root system is ef icient at dissipating wave
energy. Likewise, they slow down tidal water enough that its sediment is
deposited as the tide comes in and are not re-suspended when the tide
leaves, except for ine particles. As a result, mangroves build their own
environment. Because of the uniqueness of the mangrove ecosystems
and their protection against erosion, they are often the object of
conservation programs including national Biodiversity Action Plans.

Despite their bene its, the protective value of mangroves is sometimes

overstated. Wave energy is typically low in areas where mangroves grow,
so their effect on erosion can only be measured in the long-term. Their
capacity to limit high-energy wave erosion is limited to events like storm
surges and tsunamis. Erosion often still occurs on the outer sides of
bends in river channels that wind through mangroves, just as new stands
of mangroves are appearing on the inner sides where sediment is
accreting.

Mangroves support unique ecosystems, especially on their intricate root

systems. The mesh of mangrove roots produces a quiet marine region for
many young organisms. In areas where roots are permanently
submerged, they may host a wide variety of organisms, including algae,
barnacles, oysters, sponges, and bryozoans, which all require a hard
substratum for anchoring while they ilter feed. Shrimps and mud
lobsters use the muddy bottom as their home. Mangrove crabs improve
the nutritional quality of the mangal muds for other bottom feeders by
mulching the mangrove leaves. In at least some cases, export of carbon
ixed in mangroves is important in coastal food webs. The habitats also
host several commercially important species of ish and crustaceans.

The major factors, governing the mangrove

ecosystem
Climatic factor:
Climate plays major role in inter-tidal region for natural growth,
development and succession of the mangroves. Among these climatic
factors

Fluctuation of temperature

Rainfall

Regular wind low

Frost free

Radiation

Sedimentation play very major role for the mangrove viability in a

holistic manner.
Soil: The soil structure and soil salinity are the main agents, controlling
the distribution of mangroves. The soil salinity of the supralittoral zone,
where water reaches once or twice in a month during highest high-water
tide, is comparatively high because of the rate of evaporation.

Tidal Amplitude: The tidal luctuation has the major role for
mangrove habitats, as most mangroves grow well in between the Mean
High Water Spring Tide (MHWST) and Mean Sea Level (MSL).

Threats to Mangrove ecosystem:

The threats to the mangrove ecosystem could be broadly grouped into
two: Natural and Anthropogenic

Natural threats:

Climate change;

Cyclones;

Infestation by barnacles

Damage by Crustaceans

Insect pests such as woodborers, caterpillars

Drying of mangrove trees

Anthropogenic threats:

Tree felling for fuel wood and wood products;

Grazing by cattle;

Reclamation for agriculture and aquaculture;

Urban development

Industralisation

Conservation of the Mangrove ecosystem:

Afforestation

Legislation (including laws and policies);

Monitoring and Surveys (land and aerial, etc.);

Protection (including conservation, parks and reserves

development, etc.)

Sustainable use of Mangrove ecosystem:

Culture (Agriculture, Aquaculture -capture isheries, culture ish),

 Natural products useful for medicinal purposes, drugs, etc.);

Other products (timber, salt production, honey, etc.);

Socio-economic aspects;

Tourism

Traditional medicines

References
Clough, B.F., 1992. Primary productivity and growth of mangrove forests.
In: A.I. Robertson and D.M. Alongi (Eds.) Tropical Mangrove Ecosystems.
American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C. pp.225-249.

Jagtap & Komarpant, 2003. Evaluation of mangrove ecosystem of India

for assessing its vulnerability to projected climatic changes. Assessment
of climate change in India and mitigation policies, World Wide Fund for
Nature-India eds. Dash, S.K.; Rao P. 39-51p.

Khairnar S. O., Sathe, A.R., Mhatre V.D., Jadhav S. S and Desai K.B., 2009.
Mangroove Biodiversity of India. Aqua International, Vol.16. No.12, pp-
29-30.

Macnae, E., 1968. A general account of the fauna and lora of mangrove
swamps and forests in the Indo-West Paci ic Region. Advances in Marine
Biology 6: 73-270.

Tomlinson, P.B., 1986. The botany of mangroves. University Press,

Cambridge, 419 pp.

Vanucci, M., 1989. The mangroves and us: a synthesis of insights. Indian
Association for the advancement of Science, New Delhi, India.

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