Mangroves 2: Mangrove as Plant

MANGROVES 2: Mangrove as Plant


Rhizophera stylosa, Channel Island (Michael Michie)

Mangroves are vascular plants[1] which are able to grow under saline conditions. Some of the plants are able to withstand being inundated by high tides twice daily whilst others are less resistant and prefer a habitat closer to the very high tide mark. There are many mangrove species, 36 of whichc are represented in Darwin Harbour. 

All mangroves have a number of adaptations to the extreme conditions of the intertidal zone. They include;

  • root systems adapted for absorbing air in muddy environments

  • salt tolerance through a number of strategies

  • seeds growing into seedlings while the seed container is still attached to the tree (vivipary).

Some of the mangrove species are widely distributed. The small bushy tree Scyphiphora hydrophylacea also occurs in India, Indonesia and New Guinea. Xylocarpus mekongensis which has large soft pneumatophores is named after the SE Asian river and is found from East Africa to the Pacific. 

1. Mangrove as forest   3. Mangrove as habitat 4. Mangrove as resource 5. Use by Northern Aboriginal Clans 6. Activities

[1] Vascular plants have bundles of pipe-like cells used for transporting water and food materials within the plant. They include all flowering plants and ferns.

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Did you know?

Amphibians were the first backboned animals to emerge onto land. Far older than the dinosaurs they have evolved many strage survival strategies.