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Once scorned as mosquito-infested wastelands, mangroves are now seen as the very foundation of many coastal ecosystems. Juvenile fish and shrimp find shelter amid the trees' tangled roots, while crabs crawl among the branches and birds roost safely above. By trapping mud around their roots, mangroves filter pollution and protect coastal communities from erosion. And rotting mangrove leaves create a rich layer of nutrients that feed countless animals within the mangroves and far beyond the ocean's edge.
 | Mangrove roots can form a tangle so dense it is hard to tell where one tree ends and the next begins. © Janis Burger / Bruce Coleman Inc. |
Red mangroves were once cleared for development or used as dumping grounds. But today, strict environmental laws protect mangrove forests in Florida, where many economically important fish, shrimp and shellfish depend on mangroves, and the wildlife they support attracts tourism. Although just a few mangrove species are found in the Caribbean, there are more than 50 species of mangroves worldwide.
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