A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water. They are taxonomically diverse and occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, with the greatest mangrove area within 5° of the equator. There are about 80 different species of mangrove trees, all of which grow in areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate. Mangrove forests only grow in the intertidal zone, which is the area between high and low tide.

Mangroves have special adaptations to take in extra oxygen and to remove salt, which allow them to tolerate conditions that would kill most plants. They have a 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.

Mangroves are extremely important to the coastal ecosystems they inhabit. They serve as a buffer between marine and terrestrial communities and protect shorelines from damaging winds, waves, and floods. They also improve water quality by filtering pollutants and trapping sediments from the land, and they reduce coastal erosion. Mangroves provide habitat for a variety of marine and terrestrial species, including fish, birds, and mammals.

Some of the key features of mangroves include:

• Taxonomic diversity: Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in several plant families.
• Adaptations: Mangroves have special adaptations to take in extra oxygen and to remove salt, which allow them to tolerate conditions that would kill most plants.
• Prop roots: Mangroves have a dense tangle of prop roots that make the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water.
• Intertidal zone: Mangrove forests only grow in the intertidal zone, which is the area between high and low tide.
• Coastal protection: Mangroves serve as a buffer between marine and terrestrial communities and protect shorelines from damaging winds, waves, and floods.
• Habitat: Mangroves provide habitat for a variety of marine and terrestrial species, including fish, birds, and mammals.

In summary, mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal zone and have special adaptations to tolerate conditions that would kill most plants. They are extremely important to the coastal ecosystems they inhabit, serving as a buffer between marine and terrestrial communities and providing habitat for a variety of species.