1. Red mangrove 2. Black mangrove 3. White mangrove 4. Buonwood 5. Fuzzy finger algae 6. Turtle grass 7. Laurencia algae 8. Heron 9. Osprey 10. Egret 11. Flamingo 12. Bahama duck 13. Yellow warbler 14. Gray snapper 15. School master snapper 16. Bonefish 17. Tarpon 18. Nassau grouper 19. Barracuda 20. Nurse shark 21. Lemon shark 22. Land crab 23. Spiny lobster 24. Conch 25. Sponges Benefits • High biodiversity • Nursery for fish, crustaceans and other invertebrates – sustains fisheries • Protects islands from coastal erosion due to storm surge and hurricanes • Carbon storage • Roots filter and trap land-based pollutants and sediments • Popular sites for recreation, eco-tourism and education Threats • Climate change • Pollution • Coastal development • Invasive species • Illegal and over-fishing breef.org Life in the Bahamian Mangrove Creek Mangrove Conservation • Laws – The Bahamas is a signatory of the Ramsar Convention, has a National Wetlands Policy and is developing local laws to protect mangrove plants and wetlands. • Protection of Connected Habitats – Mangrove creeks and wetlands can be included in Marine Protected Areas and the National Forest Estate • Restoration – Mangroves can be replanted and tidal flow restored where it has been blocked • Education – BREEF works to educate the public about conserving mangroves Characteristics • Hydric (muddy) and oxygen-poor soil • Fluctuation in temperature and salinity Adaptations • Prop roots anchor plants against waves • Halophytic leaves secrete or store salt • Waxy leaves prevent excessive water loss • Aerial roots absorb oxygen from the air • Buoyant propagules allow dispersal by water Key Species Mangrove forests hold up to four times more carbon than other tropical rainforests. Mangrove Facts Four Types of Mangrove Plants HIGH TIDE LOW TIDE Terrestrial vegetation with Buonwood White mangrove Zone Black mangrove Zone Red mangrove Zone Over a third of the world’s mangroves have disappeared. 1/3 40 % Wetlands comprise 40% of the land area in The Bahamas. 4x 80 Species There are 80 species of mangrove plants. Four species are found in The Bahamas. • Images courtesy of: Shane Gross (split image above/below water view and Lemon sharks) Red Black White Buonwood Plants Birds Fish Invertebrates 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 8 8 9 10 12 13 11 14 23 15 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 (242)327-9000 [email protected] 7 6 dry muddy marshy BREEF promotes the conservation of the Bahamian marine environment that sustains our way of life “ Mangrove zonation” describes the order in which the four different types of mangroves are found on land. The red mangrove is closest to the water, while the buonwood mangrove is found furthest inland. Their positions depend on land elevation, water and soil salt levels, and tidal changes. tip of root with pores water Soil branch root black mangrove with aerial breathing roots 1 2 21

Life in the Bahamian Mangrove Creek - Home – BREEF€¦ · Adaptations • Prop roots anchor plants against waves • Halophytic leaves secrete or store salt • Waxy leaves prevent

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Page 1: Life in the Bahamian Mangrove Creek - Home – BREEF€¦ · Adaptations • Prop roots anchor plants against waves • Halophytic leaves secrete or store salt • Waxy leaves prevent

1. Red mangrove2. Black mangrove3. White mangrove4. Buttonwood5. Fuzzy finger algae6. Turtle grass7. Laurencia algae8. Heron 9. Osprey

10. Egret11. Flamingo12. Bahama duck13. Yellow warbler14. Gray snapper15. School master snapper16. Bonefish17. Tarpon

18. Nassau grouper19. Barracuda20. Nurse shark21. Lemon shark22. Land crab23. Spiny lobster24. Conch25. Sponges

Benefits• High biodiversity• Nursery for fish, crustaceans and other

invertebrates – sustains fisheries• Protects islands from coastal erosion

due to storm surge and hurricanes

• Carbon storage• Roots filter and trap land-based

pollutants and sediments• Popular sites for recreation, eco-tourism and education

Threats• Climate change • Pollution• Coastal development • Invasive species • Illegal and over-fishing

breef.org

Life in the Bahamian Mangrove Creek

Mangrove Conservation• Laws – The Bahamas is a signatory of the Ramsar

Convention, has a National Wetlands Policy and is developing local laws to protect mangrove plants and wetlands.

• Protection of Connected Habitats – Mangrove creeks and wetlands can be included in Marine Protected Areas and the National Forest Estate

• Restoration – Mangroves can be replanted and tidal flow restored where it has been blocked• Education – BREEF works to educate the public

about conserving mangroves

Characteristics• Hydric (muddy) and oxygen-poor soil• Fluctuation in temperature and salinity

Adaptations• Prop roots anchor plants against waves• Halophytic leaves secrete or store salt• Waxy leaves prevent excessive water loss• Aerial roots absorb oxygen from the air• Buoyant propagules allow dispersal by water

Key Species

Mangrove forests hold up to four times more carbon than other tropical rainforests.

Mangrove Facts

Four Types of Mangrove Plants

HIGH TIDE

LOW TIDE

Terrestrialvegetation

with Buttonwood

White mangrove Zone Black mangrove

Zone Red mangrove Zone

Over a third of the world’s mangroves have disappeared.1/3 40%

Wetlands comprise 40% of the land area in The Bahamas.

4x 80 Species

There are 80 species of mangrove plants. Four species are found in The Bahamas.

• Images courtesy of: Shane Gross (split image above/below water view and Lemon sharks) Red Black White Buttonwood

Plants Birds Fish Invertebrates

910

1617

1920

(242)[email protected]

drymuddy

marshy

BREEF promotes the conservation of the Bahamian marine environment that sustains our way of life

“ Mangrove zonation” describes the order in which the four different types of mangroves are found on land. The red mangrove is closest to the water, while the buttonwood mangrove is found furthest inland. Their positions depend on land elevation, water and soil salt levels, and tidal changes.

tip of rootwith pores

water

Soilbranch root

black mangrove with aerial breathing roots