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EVS Assignment (PN)

This document discusses the ecological and environmental significance of mangroves and coral reefs. It notes that mangroves provide habitat for many species, filter water pollution, trap carbon dioxide, and protect coastlines from storms. Coral reefs also protect coastlines, support biodiversity, and drive fishing and tourism industries. Both ecosystems are threatened by pollution and development.

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64 views4 pages

EVS Assignment (PN)

This document discusses the ecological and environmental significance of mangroves and coral reefs. It notes that mangroves provide habitat for many species, filter water pollution, trap carbon dioxide, and protect coastlines from storms. Coral reefs also protect coastlines, support biodiversity, and drive fishing and tourism industries. Both ecosystems are threatened by pollution and development.

Uploaded by

chandrikamittal228
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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NAME: PRAKRITI NEGI

ROLL NO. : 23/584


COURSE: BA HISTORY HONOURS

TOPIC:- ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL


SIGNIFICANCE OF MANGROVES AND CORAL
REEFS
MANGROVES
Mangroves are trees and shrubs that grow in tropical and subtropical
coastal areas. They can tolerate wet, loose soils, salt water, and being
submerged by tides. Mangroves can grow in soils with salinities up to 75
parts per thousand, which is about twice the salinity of ocean
water. Mangrove trees are an indigenous species to Florida and a major
contributor to the state's marine environment. The mangrove tree is a
halophyte, a plant that thrives in salty conditions. It has the ability to grow
where no other tree can, thereby making significant contributions that
benefit the environment. Their coverage of coastal shorelines and wetlands
provides many diverse species of birds, mammals, crustacea, and fish a
unique, irreplaceable habitat. Mangroves preserve water quality and reduce
pollution by filtering suspended material and assimilating dissolved
nutrients. The tree is the foundation in a complex marine food chain and
the detritus food cycle. Mangroves help in the detritus food chain
by providing detritus and nutrients. Detritus is dead and decaying organic
material. The mangrove ecosystem in India is one of the world's largest
detritus-based ecosystems. Mangrove forests capture massive amounts of
carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases from the
atmosphere, and then trap and store them in their carbon-rich flooded soils
for millennia. This is an important ecosystem service as we face climate
change. This buried carbon is known as “blue carbon” because it is stored
underwater in coastal ecosystems like mangrove forests, sea grass beds
and salt marshes.

Mangroves provide significant economic benefits to humans. They are a


valuable source of fuelwood, timber, and fodder, supporting the livelihoods
of coastal communities. Mangrove wetlands also harbor fish, crabs, and
other edible invertebrates, which play a vital role in the food security of
these communities. Additionally, mangroves have been exploited for
various purposes such as wood production, handicrafts, and medicinal
plants. Furthermore, mangroves protect economic activity in coastal areas
by acting as a barrier against cyclones, storms, and tidal surges. They also
provide water filtration, promote oxygen release, and trap carbon dioxide,
contributing to climate change mitigation. The economic benefits of
mangroves extend to tourism, with opportunities for ecotourism and
alternate income generation activities such as mushroom cultivation and
apiary. Overall, mangroves offer diverse economic opportunities and
contribute to the well-being of coastal communities.

Despite increasing awareness regarding value and importance, the


destruction of mangrove forest continues to take place in many parts of
the world under a variety of economic as-well-as political motives. In some
areas, mangroves are protected by law but a lack of enforcement coupled
with the economic incentive to reclaim land can result in deliberate
destruction. Escalating pressure on mangrove populations and increasing
quantities of pollutants reaching coastal and intra coastal waters has
brought new interest in the importance of mangroves to a healthy marine
ecology.

CORAL REEFS
Coral reefs are large structures made of limestone that are created by coral
polyps. They are the largest biological structures on earth and are home to
about 25% of total marine species. Coral reefs serve many roles within the
marine ecosystem but are also crucial to how our global ecosystems work.
Coral reefs protect coastlines from the damaging effects of waves and
tropical storms. Coral reefs also provide nutrient recycling, assist in carbon
and nitrogen-fixing and water filtration, and provide nitrogen and essential
nutrients for the diverse array of life within the marine food chain.

Many animals call coral reefs home. The biodiversity in the reefs is
unmatched anywhere else in the world, except for some rainforests. As
habitats, coral reefs create a complex food web that goes from the sharks
and dolphins at the top of the food chain to tiny sponges, invertebrates, and
plankton at the bottom.

Our coastal cities depend on coral reefs to buffer wave action and storm
surges. According to Kuleana Coral Restoration, The Great Barrier Reef is
aptly named because it provides a barrier against the destructive ocean
forces that would have otherwise eroded the continent's coastline. Coral
reefs stabilize mangroves and sea grass beds, providing habitats, oxygen,
and vegetation for inland species besides humans. In the Florida Keys,
where the shore is lined with residential homes and commercial buildings,
these reefs are a last line of defense against devastating tropical storms.

Coral reefs contain economic significance too. Healthy coral reefs support
commercial and subsistence fisheries as well as jobs and businesses
through tourism and recreation. Approximately half of all federally
managed fisheries depend on coral reefs and related habitats for a portion
of their life cycles. The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates the
commercial value of U.S. fisheries from coral reefs is over $100 million.
Local economies also receive billions of dollars from visitors to reefs
through diving tours, recreational fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and
other businesses based near reef ecosystems. Coral reefs contribute to
fishing and tourism, providing millions of jobs and contributing to
economies all over the world. Scientists develop important drugs from
coral reef organisms as treatments for cancer, arthritis, and viruses.

Ultimately, coral reefs are important to the ecosystem because they are the
pillars on which marine and coastal ecosystems are built. They keep plants,
fish, and animals fed. The damage already done to these unique and
essential biomes could signify a grim future for everyone.

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