Grinnell Gallery
tckane9
Mangroves support unique ecosystems, especially on their intricate root systems. In areas where roots are permanently submerged, mangroves may be host to a wide variety of organisms, including algae, barnacles, oysters, sponges, and bryozoans, which all require a hard substratum for anchoring while they filter feed. Mangroves are excellent buffers between the violent ocean and the fragile coast, especially during hurricanes, which can bring powerful storm surges onto shores. The massive mangrove root system is quite efficient at dissipating wave energy. This same root system also helps prevent coastal erosion. As tidal water flows through the root system, it is slowed substantially enough so that it deposits its sediment as the tide comes in, and the return flow is kept slow as the tide goes out to prevent resuspension of some of the finer particles. As a result, mangroves can build their own environment.
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Album:
trip to toubacouta, senegal
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little village north of the gambia.
mid september 2006. we went there to camp out with some university students that lived near the village, and to experience some of the "cultural traditions" that senegal is known for: lutte (form of wrestling), the mangroves, clearing fields while running from the concuran, etc. all in all, it was a very educational four days. and man, did we eat a lot.
Photographer:
Caitlin Skinner
Total Views:
644
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