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Saltwater Ecosystem Article
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The Mangrove Ecosystem
from:The mangrove ecosystem covers the flora, fauna and ground conditions with in the parameters of a mangrove. From the climatic conditions to the members and relationships in the food chain, the mangrove ecosystem is dependant on the major resources available. The mangrove ecosystem is unique to its area between brackish and fresh water. The mangroves are vital to filtering out the salt from the water to enable the trees to grow.
The fauna in a mangrove ecosystem will include the minute and the massive. The mangrove ecosystem offers shelter and living conditions to insects, birds, arachnids and mammals, from the tiny bush mouse to large mammals, lizards or water dwelling predators.
In the mangrove ecosystem the smallest creatures and plants are still important to the structure of the environment. From the smallest gnat to the largest predator, the relationship between the food chain is vital to the balance of the ecosystem.
Even the plants of the mangrove will become fodder for larger herbivores or small fish and water dwelling creatures. The mangrove ecosystem is balanced by the resources available. The number of trees is maintained by the number of animals or insects using them for their lifestyle or food sources. If the number of predators in the mangrove ecosystem should alter, then the food chain would be unbalanced right down to the fundamental level. Even a slight alteration in the mangrove ecosystem, due to floods, pollution, drought or human intervention, can lead to the destruction of the mangrove ecosystem itself.
The mangrove ecosystem is reliant on the balance being maintained, between growth and decay. While rotting plants, brackish water, carcasses and mulch can offer sustenance to some creatures, the death of a plant is still part of the mangrove ecosystem. The mulch provides the ideal place for germination of other seeds. All this is part of the balance of the mangrove ecosystem.
The mangrove ecosystem includes the life cycle of the larger animals too. Their living, reproducing, hunting and dying all effect the way the mangrove ecosystem achieves balance. Any variation to the numbers of creatures within the mangrove ecosystem could change the fragile balance drastically. Too few predators could mean an over production of marine life that relies on the mangroves. Once the balance is lost, it can be impossible to regain.
The delicate balance of the mangrove ecosystem is vital to the health and vitality of the mangrove itself. From climate conditions, water quality and quantity, to human intervention, or exploitation, the mangrove ecosystem is prone to influences that can alter it forever.
Saltwater Ecosystem Specific links
Saltwater Ecosystem News
Wallisville Locks back in operation to control salt water intrusion from ... - DVIDS
Wallisville Locks back in operation to control salt water intrusion from ... DVIDS WALLISVILLE, Texas – The US Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District's Wallisville Lake Project staff closed the salt water barrier navigation lock this morning to impede salinity intrusion on the Trinity River. The Corps will open the lock every ... |
Seagrass and the carbon paradox - RenewEconomy
Seagrass and the carbon paradox RenewEconomy Indeed, seagrasses have been termed the “ugly ducklings of marine conservation” (Duarte et al. 2008) for the low public interest in these marine ecosystems. Most Australians? Well, not really. Aboriginal Australians, particularly the “Salt Water ... |
Deep-sea aliens hitched ride by submarine to pristine area - msnbc.com (blog)
 msnbc.com (blog) | Deep-sea aliens hitched ride by submarine to pristine area msnbc.com (blog) ... "but the worse-case scenario would in fact be a fundamental change in the ecosystem" if the new species brought with it a disease or parasite. What triggered the study was the discovery of 38 deep-sea limpets, a kind of saltwater snail, ... |
Combining Art and Science to Protect Urban Mangrove Forests - Care2.com (blog)
Combining Art and Science to Protect Urban Mangrove Forests Care2.com (blog) Have you ever heard of a plant that can live in salt water? Mangroves defy common wisdom and thrive in saline, muddy and oxygen-poor environments. This makes them particularly important in coastal areas where they protect our coastlines from hurricanes ... |
Cape, county to cooperate on spreader - Pine Island Eagle
Cape, county to cooperate on spreader Pine Island Eagle "It's such an imbalance," he said of the area's freshwater and saltwater. McGrail questioned the points made in the county's presentation. "Everyone ends with, 'We don't believe your data,'" he said. "What I fail to see is a counterpoint. |