Journal #3

Done by: Koh Wan Xin 2E2

Even though I know the mangrove can live where no other plant can, which is in salty conditions, I did not know this type of plants where called halophyte. On the other hand, because of earlier readings from the two earlier passages, I was aware of the fact the mangroves make significant contributions that benefit the environment and provides and fish a unique, irreplaceable habitat for many diverse species of birds, mammals, and crustaceans. I was also aware mangroves help maintain water quality and reduce pollution by filtering and assimilate dissolved nutrients.

Mangroves are also an important part in a complex marine food chain. However, I was surprised that there was a detrital food cycle. I did not even know that existed. I found out that the detrital food cycle was discovered by two biologists from the University of Miami, Eric Heald & William Odum, in 1969. The detrital food cycle refers to the cycle of mangroves leaves being colonized within a few hours by marine fungi and bacteria that convert difficult to digest carbon compounds into nitrogen rich detritus material. Thus, resulting in food for the smallest animals such as worms, snails and shrimp and becoming foods for carnivores including crabs and fish that follows the food chain and continues.

From my previous reading I found out that humans rely on mangroves but, I was amazed to find out that 75% of the game fish and 90% of the commercial species in south Florida rely on the mangrove system. I did not expect the percentages to be so high. I am glad that the respective governmental regulation of coastal land use and development was changed thanks to the Discovery of the importance of mangroves in the marine food chain. I learnt that as mangroves grow along the coastlines; their domain has been significantly reduced by land reclamation and bulk heading of waterfront property for development. Large concentrations of mangroves were isolated from waters, by the construction of dikes that established mosquito control. The marine ecologies are denied the full benefits of mangrove wetlands because dikes prevent the free flow of water and movement of organisms between the mangroves. I think harming the environment is terrible.

(366 words)

http://mangrove.org/video/mangroves.html