10 Interesting Facts About Mangroves

As mentioned, most trees can't live in saltwater, but mangroves have adapted to live in high-salinity environments along coasts around the world. In addition to filtering salt out of sea water, their unique root systems help them stay upright in soft, waterlogged soils and give them access to oxygen and nutrients. 

15% of those species are threatened with extinction. Thanks to their intricate root systems, they provide nesting, nursery and feeding grounds for many aquatic organisms, including juvenile fish of thousands of species, oysters and mussels, mudskippers, lemon sharks, and manatees. Above the ocean surface, mangroves also provide critical habitat for cranes, eagles, monkeys, and even tigers.

The UN Environment Programme's "Decades of Mangrove Forest Change" report found that about 50% of mangrove-associated mammals, 22% of fish, 16% of plants, 13% of. amphibians, and 8% of bird and reptile species are threatened with extinction.

Two undeniable symptoms of climate change are rising sea levels and increasingly extreme storm surges — and mangroves are a natural solution to protect against the devastation caused by both. A wave passing within 100 meters of a mangrove forest can lose around 2/3 of its energy. Experts estimate that mangrove ecosystems prevent more than $65 billion in property damages, and reduce flood risks for around 15 million people every year.

That's right: they play a critical role in protecting the planet from climate change. How? Mangrove trees store carbon in their leaves, and when those leaves fall off and sink into the mud and silt, they become what is known as blue carbon (carbon that is stored underwater.) 

In addition to their roots,  some mangrove species also have special leaves that help them thrive in salty or brackish water. Still other mangrove species store salt in older leaves or bark. When the leaves drop and the bark sheds, the stored salt is shedded with them.

Mangrove forests are more ubiquitous than you might think. 123 tropical and subtropical countries are lucky enough to have mangroves along their coastlines and estuaries. Although this equates to less than 1% of global tropical forest cover, Mangroves provide ecosystem services to an estimated 2.4 billion people that live within 100km of coastlines.

Global mangrove maps released by the Global Mangrove Watch in 2020 showed approximately 147,539 km2 of mangrove forest in the world — with 51% in the Asia Pacific, 29% in the Americas, and 20% in Africa.

Between 1996-2020, 3.4% (5,245km2) of global mangrove cover was lost. In 2023, the UN Environment Programme reported that global mangrove loss had stabilized — and some areas have regained forest cover. This is great news, but mangroves are still threatened by persistent degradation, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

If you like fish on your dinner plate then you can probably thank the mangroves. Whether they are spawning grounds for ocean bound fish, habitat for shrimp, or even an important source of algae, fruit, and salt, mangroves are a vital part of the global food supply.