The Tree of Land and Sea

This topic submitted by Audree Riddle ( riddleak@muohio.edu) at 11:23 PM on 6/9/07.

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Tropical Field Courses -Interdisciplinary Studies-Miami University



Mangrove Trees: The Tree of Land and Sea

ÒOh! those mangroves. I never saw one that looked as if it possessed a decent conscience. Growing always in shallow stagnant water, filthy black mud, or rank grass, gnarled twisted, stunted and half bare of foliage, they seem like a crowds of withered, trodden-down old criminals, condemned to the punishment of everlasting life. I canÕt help it if this seems fanciful. Anyone who has seen a mangrove swamp will know what I meanÓ(Davidson, 1998). The mangroves are unique species. A tree that is able to live in saltwater. On the coast of Florida, the mangroves are most plentiful. Striving in areas were the freshwater from the main land and the seawater meet. The different variances of salinity gradient in the water create three different optimal zones for the different species, red, white and black (Cummins, 2007). The three species live very close together, and it is common to find the unique roots, which will be discussed later, intertwine with one another. These trees do not only intertwine by themselves though, Òyou almost always find coral, mangroves and sea grasses togetherÓ (Davidson, 1998). The mangroves are an important part of the intertidal zone and the marine ecosystem.

I. Introduction

II. General Facts about mangroves
A. Environment
B. Roots
C. Species
D. Reproduction

III. Types of Mangroves
A. Black Mangroves
B. Red Mangroves
C. White Mangroves

V. Human Effects
A. Deforestation
B. Prevention Programs for Mangroves/ Policies
1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act
C. Salinity Unbalancing

VI. Conclusion
The importance of in the Marine Ecosystem


Resources
1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, Florida Statutes, http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wetlands/docs/mangroves/mtpa96.pdf.

Arny, Nancy P. and Law Beverly E. University of Florida. Cooperative Extension Service. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/Extension/pubtxt/for43.htm.

Blaxland, Beth. Mangroves. (2002). Chelsea House Publishers: Broomall.

Burnie, David. Eyewitness Books TREE. (1988). Alfre A. Knopf: New York.

Davidson, Osha Gray. The Enchanted Braid: Coming to Terms with Nature on the Coral Reef. (1998). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: New York.

Lodge, Thomas. The Everglades Handbook: Understanding the Ecosystem. (1994). St. Lucie Press: Delray Beach.

Maser, Chris & Sedell, James R. From the Forest to the Sea: The Ecology of Wood in Streams, Rivers, Estuaries, & Oceans. (1994). St. Lucie Press: Delray Beach.

Mattson, Robert A. The Living Ocean. (1991). Enslow Publishers, Inc.: Hillside.

Petrides, George A. The Field Guide to Eastern Trees: Eastern United States and Canada. (1988). Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston.

Thomas, Peter. Trees: Their Natural History. (2000). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Tudge, Colin. A Natural History of What Trees Are, How They Live, and Why They Matter: The Tree. (2005). Crown Publishers: New York.



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