Evolutionary Adaptations of Mangrove Species to Their Harsh Environment

This topic submitted by Meredith Beck ( beckmn@muohio.edu) at 4:35 PM on 3/30/08.

Divers chase a sea turtle at the wall break, 12 m deep, San Salvador, Bahamas.

Tropical Field Courses -Interdisciplinary Studies-Miami University

My research topic is Mangrove ecosystems. I chose to concentrate primarily on the evolutionary adaptations of certain mangrove tree species to the coastal environment they live in. These species of trees are very impressive because most flora could not function in such anaerobic and saline conditions. The features that formed in these trees are amazing and unique to anything I have ever seen. The mangrove ecosystems are fragile ecosystems that are beneficial in so many ways to the coastlines of many continents, yet they are not sufficiently protected. I find these ecosystems very interesting and am excited to see one myself. I would like to, with this essay, excite others about the most remarkable trees I have ever heard of because I think that a lot of times Òplant blindnessÓ makes us less interested in the capacity of such trees, and more interested in something that moves and is brightly colored.

Evolutionary Adaptations of Mangrove Species to Their Harsh Environment
I. Introduction to Mangrove Ecosystems
A. Location
B. Definition of Mangrove (tree?-whole area?)
C. Diversity of organisms that live in the ecosystems
i. Fauna
ii. Flora (Mangrove Species focusing on)
D. The coastal marine ecosystem is a rough, inconsistent environment
II. The flora evolutionarily developed adaptations in order to survive this environment.
A. Vivapary
B. Salinity combatants
i. Salt Secretors
ii. Ultrafiltrators
iii. Depositing the salt in organs
C. Adapting to the anaerobic soil and high water levels
i. Pneumatophores
ii. Prop and Stilt roots
iii. Kneed roots
iv. Plank roots
III. Not only do the trees survive, but they thrive and are the center of the ecosystem.
A. Adaptations of the trees that fuel the food web
i. Trapping nutrients
ii. Being able to absorb high levels of toxins from pollutants
B. The result is an ecosystem that is very biologically diverse.
IV. Even with all the services the mangrove ecosystems perform, they are not being conserved.
A. Protection of coastline from hurricanes
B. Prevention of coastal erosion
C. Large portions of the mangrove areas have been destructed already.

Janzen, Daniel H. (1983). Costa Rican Natural History. Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press. (p.273-276)
Kricher, John (1997). A Neotropical Companion. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
(p. 239-250).
Lugo, Ariel, Snedaker, Samuel. (1961, July). The Ecology of Mangroves. Miami
News.
Tomlinson, P.B. (1986). The Botany of Mangroves. Cambridge University Press.
Upadhyay, V.P., Ranjan, Rajiv and Singh, J. S. (2002, December). Human-Mangrove
Conflicts: The Way Out. Current Science, Vol. 83, No. 11.

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