What kind of trees are mangroves? What is its function? What's so special about it?

Mangroves are called "coastal guards", and the protection of mangroves has become an urgent task in recent years. What kind of tree is that mangrove? What is its function? What's so special about it?

What kind of trees are mangroves

Mangrove refers to the woody biological community of tidal flat wetland, which grows in the upper intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical low-energy coast, is flooded by periodic tide and is composed of evergreen shrubs or trees dominated by mangrove plants. The constituent species include herbs and rattan mangroves. It grows in the tidal flat of the boundary zone between land and sea, and it is a special ecosystem in which the land is over to the sea. Near the edge of the mangrove community, there are some associated so-called semi-mangrove ingredients, which all have a certain degree of salt tolerance, such as mango, hibiscus, silver leaf tree, open pocket tree, begonia fruit, hairless yellow bark, paulownia.

Second, the function of mangroves

1. Ecological benefit

Mangroves are one of the most diverse ecosystems with few species in the world, and they are very rich in biological resources. This is because mangroves provide a good environment for the growth and development of marine animals by the way of litter and through the transformation of the food chain. at the same time, the developed tidal ditches in the mangrove area will also attract animals to feed and breed here, forming a good ecological cycle. As mangroves grow in subtropical and temperate zones and are rich in bird food resources, mangrove areas are not only overwintering grounds and transit stations for migratory birds, but also places for foraging and breeding for all kinds of seabirds. Mangroves can absorb 150,250kg of nitrogen and 15,20kg of phosphorus per hectare each year, purifying the water body.

2. Coast Guard

Another important ecological benefit of mangroves is its functions of preventing wind and waves, promoting silt and protecting beach, fixing bank and protecting embankment, purifying sea water and air. The intertwined developed root system can effectively retain the land to sand and reduce the sediment content in the inshore sea area; the dense and tall branches are like green great walls, which can effectively resist the attack of wind and waves.

In the coastal shelterbelt system of our country, the wave-eliminating forest belt is the first coastal defense line to construct the shelterbelt system. Tree species in Xiaolang forest belt are required to have strong resistance to salt and alkali, blisters, intermittent erosion of sea water and resistance to wind and soil consolidation, which requires trees with developed roots and tough branches, mangroves naturally become an ideal choice.

3. Medicinal value

Some categories of mangroves can be used to produce daily health products, such as the peels of wood olive and sea lotus can be used for hemostasis and seasoning, and their roots can be used as spices after juicing. Its leaves are often used to control blood pressure; mangrove leaves like sea lacquer can relieve toothache; some mangrove varieties of fruit juice can relieve the pain of rheumatism; mouthwash made from the bark of mangrove trees can treat sore throat; mangrove fruits can be used to extract oil, can be used to light oil lamps, and can also ward off mosquitoes and treat insect bites and dysentery and fever.

Third, the special features of mangroves

1. Viviparous phenomenon

The most wonderful feature of mangroves is the so-called "viviparity". The seeds of many plants in mangroves begin to germinate in the fruit and grow into rod-shaped Hypocotyl before they leave the mother. When the Hypocotyl develops to a certain extent, it leaves the mother tree and falls into the silt of the beach. after a few hours, it can take root and grow in the silt and become a new plant, while the Hypocotyl that fails to take root in the mud in time can drift on the sea with the current for several months. take root on the coast thousands of miles away.

2. Special root system

The most striking feature of mangroves is the dense and well-developed prop roots, many of which grow from the base of the trunk and stick firmly into the mud to form a solid support, so that the mangrove can stand under the impact of the waves. Mangroves are often submerged by the tide, and there is a great lack of air, so many mangrove plants have respiratory roots, which have thick lenticels and spongy ventilatory tissue, which meet the air needs of mangrove plants.

3. Qinyan phenomenon

The tropical beach is sunny and the soil is rich in salt. the morphological structure of mangrove plants makes them halophytic and adapt to physiological drought. The plants have secretory glands that can expel excess salt, and the leaves are leathery, which is beneficial to reflect sunlight and reduce water evaporation.

Mangroves are strong, they can withstand the high salt intertidal environment, but at the same time, they are also fragile, and any pollution and logging may destroy the ecological environment and biodiversity they try to maintain. So it is the responsibility of all of us to protect the mangroves.