Along India’s peninsula, mangrove forests have proven to be crucial buffers against cyclones.
They act as sieves of seawater, filtering it and protecting underground freshwater reserves from salt intrusion.
For millions of fishermen, the mangroves are crucial. They are breeding grounds for economically important fish, shrimp, and crabs.
Yuvan Aves, a Chennai-based naturalist, visited Havelock Island in Andaman and discovered that it is rich in Rhizophora, a genus of mangroves that grows in intertidal zones.
The stilt roots of Rhizophora keep their crowns above water during high tide. During the low tide, they are uncovered as ‘spidery’ forms.
He also discovered how the earth under a mangrove tree is a thriving, fertile feeding ground for Blue fiddlers and sand bubbler crabs, and mudskippers.
“Without our noticing, mangrove forests do phenomenal things. They build new coasts and make fresh land,” he shares.
“Each time the tide moves in and out, the dense root networks trap soil, add organic matter to it for future seeds to flourish.”
Over millennia, mangroves build, modify, and stabilise coastlines and seashores.
This story is part of a content series by The Better India and Roundglass Sustain.
Read the complete story here.