The term mangrove requires a detail explanation. It runs as follows:-
A peculiar type of vegetation exists in the littoral zones in the tropical and subtropical parts of the world.
Littoral zone means a zone between low tide and high tide of a sea. It is now obvious that the mangrove vegetation is found along the sea shores, creeks and near the river mouth or estuaries where it meets the sea.
These mangroves are, over the ages, adapted to live in salty , water logged soil and evolved their own life style.
These are all medium sized or small shrubby trees provided with breathing roots that always stand up right above the soil surface and do gaseous exchange directly through the air. Since they always grow close together, the mangrove plants form a dense vegetation called Mangrove Vegetation. The individual members may belong to different species.
Rhizophora, Aviccenia are well known; but there are scores of others.
IMPORTANCE:-1) The mangrove vegetation forms a kind of buffer zone between the sea and the land and prevents land erosion and sea encroachment.
2) It provides innumerable small organism a safe shelter, feeding and breeding ground. These organism are important link in the aquatic food chain.