Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that grow mainly in coastal saline or brackish water. They are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in several plant families, and occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, mainly between latitudes 30° N and 30° S, with the greatest mangrove area within 5° of the equator. Mangroves have special adaptations to take in extra oxygen and to remove salt, which allow them to tolerate conditions that would kill most plants. Some key features of mangroves include:

• Low-oxygen soil: All mangrove trees grow in areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate.

• Prop roots: Many mangrove forests can be recognized by their dense tangle of prop roots that make the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water. This tangle of roots allows the trees to handle the daily rise and fall of tides, which means that most mangroves get flooded at least twice per day. The roots also slow the movement of tidal waters, causing sediments to settle out of the water and build up the muddy bottom.

• Stabilize the coastline: Mangrove forests stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides. The intricate root system of mangroves also makes these forests attractive to fish and other organisms seeking food and shelter from predators.

• Carbon storage: Mangroves are critical in the fight against climate change as they hold as much carbon as the annual emissions of 90,000 cars in a single square mile.

Mangroves are important ecosystems that provide a range of benefits to both the environment and local communities. They support many different systems and creatures in their coastal habitats and provide the planet with a long list of benefits.