Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition: Mangroves are Unsung Heroes of Lagoon Ecosystem
By Space Coast Daily // July 26, 2024
Native plants provide essential habitats, food sources for local wildlife
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Did you know that mangroves are the unsung heroes of the Indian River Lagoon? These incredible ecosystems are crucial in preserving our environment and supporting biodiversity.
Florida waters once had millions of acres of mangroves. But with all the coastal development in the past 50-60 years, today the estimate is less than 470,000 acres, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Here’s why we need to protect and cherish them:
■ Habitat for Wildlife: Mangroves provide a vital habitat for numerous fish, birds, and other wildlife species. They serve as nurseries for fish and crustaceans, essential for maintaining healthy populations.
■ Coastal Protection: Their dense roots help stabilize shorelines, reducing erosion and protecting coastal communities from storms and tidal surges. Mangroves act as natural barriers against hurricanes and tsunamis, shielding inland areas from their destructive impacts.
■ Water Quality: Mangrove roots filter pollutants and trap sediments, improving water clarity and quality. They also absorb excess nutrients, helping to prevent algae blooms and maintaining balanced marine ecosystems.
■ Carbon Sequestration: Mangroves are incredibly efficient at storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, mitigating climate change impacts. They are a strong “carbon sink”, trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at a rate of 10 times more effective than land-based trees. They store carbon in their biomass and the sediments below them, making them crucial in the fight against global warming.
■ Recreation and Tourism: Beyond their ecological benefits, mangroves offer recreational opportunities such as kayaking, birdwatching, and eco-tourism. They attract visitors who appreciate their natural beauty and unique biodiversity. Mangroves are among the most abundant trees on the planet, covering temperate and tropical intertidal shorelines around the world. But as development sprawls in coastal areas, mangroves are disappearing at an alarming rate.
Along the banks of the Indian River Lagoon, it is estimated 65% of the mangroves are gone, lost to development pressure. Today mangroves cannot be cut down without a state permit. Mangrove replanting efforts in the lagoon are being done by the University of Central Florida and the Marine Resource Council. They have planted several miles of new mangroves.
Mangroves are halophytes, plants that can live in saline water. Around the world, there are dozens of varieties of mangroves. In Florida, there are three…Red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle), White mangroves (Laguncularia racemusa), and Black mangroves (Avelennia germinans). Each has a role to play along shorelines. Red mangroves are found at the mean tidal waterline, their roots surviving in the salty water.
Reds drop seedpods year-round and propagate quickly. growing nearly five feet in a year. As their long roots grow they become habitat for oysters, small fish, and even young sharks.
White mangroves are found just behind the Red, filing in the shoreline. The reds and whites offer a stabilizing environment, reduce erosion, and fill in sand along the intertidal area. It is not uncommon for shorelines to grow 10-20 feet when lined with mangroves.
Black mangroves are farthest back from the water line. They have larger trunks, and their leaves secrete salt to rid the tree of the saline water. Pick a leaf off and put it on your tongue.
You can taste the salt. Blacks are the tallest of the mangroves, sometimes reaching 15-20 feet high. When people think of trees in Florida, palm trees usually first come to mind. But it is the mangrove that is most important to the environment. Let’s pledge to conserve and restore our mangrove forests in the Indian River Lagoon and beyond. Together, we can ensure these invaluable ecosystems thrive for generations to come
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