Mangrove swamps Flashcards
What are mangrove swamps?
Coastal features found on tidal mud flats in tropical and sub-tropical areas
What are the characteristics of mangrove swamps?
- Silt roots that anchor the plant in the soft mud, slowing down wave movement and encouraging deposition of more mud
- Conical breathing tubes which stick up out of the mud from the root system
- Halophytic and are well adapted to living in sea water
What do mangrove swamps need?
Gently sloping muddy coastline and a warm tropical climate
How tall can mangroves grow up to?
Up to 15m tall - offer some protection against high winds or tropical storms
What do mangrove swamps encourage?
The deposition of mud, extending the coastal area into the sea and reducing coastal erosion
How do mangroves help the ocean?
3/4 of tropical fish are born in mangroves
They filter toxins out of the water
In the last few years how many mangroves has the world lost?
1/3
What is the largest mangrove forest in the world?
The Sundarbans
Where is the Sundarbans?
The Sundarbans occupies the world’s largest delta, The Ganges delta, that extends 10,000km2 across Southern India and Bangladesh
What is the Ganges delta formed from?
The sediment of three of the world’s largest rivers - Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna
What is a river delta?
A landform shaped like a triangle, created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a rive and enters slower-moving or stagnant water
What is the ecological importance of the Sundarbans?
- There are endangered species in the Sundarbans
- Rich biodiversity: flora, fauna, terrestrial and aquatic
- Only coastal tiger habitat with a large population of tigers
World heritage Site - Biosphere Reserve
- Amongst the largest mangrove areas in the world
- Globally, 4.3% of mangroves are in the Sundarbans
