The mangrove is often considered a type of biomass, formed by trees very salt tolerant occupying the intertidal zone near the mouths of freshwater flows from the coasts of tropical and subtropical latitudes of the Earth. Thus, among the areas with mangrove estuaries and coastal areas are included. They have a great biological diversity with high productivity, finding many species of birds and fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other.
Its name derives from the trees that form, mangroves, mangrove word from which is derived mangrove (in German, French and English) is originally Guarani [citation] and means twisted tree. Normally give reasons for developing barrier, the coast has undergone rapid erosion. Also provide habitat for numerous species and provide a natural protection against strong winds, waves produced by hurricanes and even tsunamis.
Mangroves are biotopes (assemblages of habitat) tropical and subtropical habitats amphibians (with aquatic and terrestrial characteristics), located in the intertidal zone (between high and low tide), protected coasts or little exposed -golfos and inlets, marshes and estuaries or mouths of rivers-with soft bottom (sand, silt or clay, never rock) and who regularly receive freshwater runoff. Mangroves have the common property to tolerate extreme conditions of salinity and low oxygen tensions in water and soil, which have evolved for physiological or anatomical special adaptations.
Mangroves play a key role in coastal protection against wind and wave erosion. Have high productivity, stay abundance of water, amphibians and terrestrial organisms; They are home to the juvenile stages of hundreds of species of fish, shellfish and therefore play a key role in coastal fisheries and the continental shelf. They are temporary habitat for many species of northern and southern migratory birds. They represent an irreplaceable resource in the wood industry (heavy timbers, very long, long resistant to moisture and fiber) and tannins employees Curtimbres and dry.