MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.1

FocusQuestionWhataremangroves?Whatanimalsliveinthishabitatandwhatservicesdotheyprovide?Howcanwebetterprotectthisenvironment?

ObjectivesStudentswillexplorethemangroveecosystemandsomeoftheanimalsthatliveinthishabitat.Studentswilllearnto:

• Identifythreespeciesofmangrovesandsomeoftheanimalsthatliveinthishabitat.• Analyzetheimportanceofthisecosystemandthepressuresthatthreatenit.• Elaborateaneducationalcommercialexplainingthekeyfeaturesofmangroves,what

servicestheyprovide,andhowtoprotectthem.Student will discuss how this habitat can be protected for future generations. This will be aproject-basedactivitywherestudentswillexplorethemangrovehabitat.

BackgroundMangroves are trees and shrubs that grow in the tropical and subtropical coastal

intertidalzones,thriving inthehot,muddy,salty conditionsthatwouldkillmostplants.Theysurvivethroughcomplexadaptations includingafiltration systemthatextractsfreshwaterbyeliminatingupto90%ofthesaltfromtheseawater.Mangrovesalsohoardfreshwaterinthicksucculentleavestominimizeevaporation,andhaveelaboratedarootstructurestrongenoughtomaintainthemangroveupright,anchoredfastdespitebeatingwavesandshiftingsediment.1Thesehigh-archingrootsareadistinctivefeatureofmanymangroves,andsomespecieshaveeven evolved ways of using their roots to breathe. Because of these ingenious adaptations,over80speciesflourishalongcoasts,withthreespeciesparticulartoFlorida.

TheseFloridaspeciesincludethered,blackandwhitemangroves,eachcharacterizedbydistinctfeatures.Theredmangrove,rhizophoramangle,growsrightalongthewater’sedge,and is easily identifiedby itsprop-roots, the reddish, tangledmass thatmake themangroveappeartobestandingonthewater.Thisspeciesuseslenticelstoaidinrespiration,thousandsofcell-sizebreathingporesthattake inoxygenat lowtideandthenclosetightlytokeepthetree fromdrowning at high tide. Features include dark green leaveswith lighter undersides,small white flowers, and long, torpedo-shaped seedlings called propagules that actuallygerminatewhilestillattachedtothefruitsothattheyarereadytorootthemomenttheyfall.

Theblackmangrove,Avicceniagerminans, isusually foundjust inlandandonslightlyhigher elevations than the redmangrove. This species can be recognized by its pneumato-phores,theblackpencil-likeprojectionsthatpopupfromthesedimentandcangrowupto30cm,takinginoxygenduringhightide.Theleavestendtobesomewhatnarrowerthanthoseoftheredmangroveandareoftenencrustedwithsaltastheyexcretesaltinfilteringthewater.

Thewhitemangrove,Langunculariaracemosa,occupieshighergroundthantheredandblackmangroves,andisprominentinhighmarshareas.Thisspeciesusuallyhasnovisible

MarineConservationScience&Policy:Mangroves

GradeLevel:

4th–12th

SubjectAreaScienceBiologyDuration1.5Hrs

BodyofKnowledgeLifeScienceNatureofSciencePhysicalScience

BigIdeaOrganizationandDevelopmentofLivingOrganisms.ThePracticeofScience

StandardsSC4.L.17.4Recognizewaysthatplantsandanimals,includinghumanscanimpacttheenvironment.SC.8.G.5.2Describetheimpactofhumanmodificationsontheenvironmentandecosystems.SC.912L.17.16Discussthelarge-scaleenvironmentalimpactsresultingfromhumanactivity.

Benchmarks:

MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.2

Backgroundroots, but can develop peg roots, shorter, stouter versions of pneumatophores that aid inrespiration inoxygen-deprived sediment.Thewhitemangroveproducesoval leaveswithtwodistinguishing white glands at the base called neotrines, which excrete salt, and light greenflowers.

Thesethreespeciescover469,000acresinFlorida,andplayavitalroleinestablishinghabitat formanyspecies.Mangrovesprovideessential feedingandbreedinggroundsforfish,crustaceans,mollusks,birds,turtles,oysters,andevenalligators.Mangrovesareoftendeemed“nature’snursery”,hostingatsomepoint intheir lifecycleanestimated90%ofrecreationallyimportantfishandservingasnestinggroundsformanyendangeredbirdspecies.2Asidefromprovidingessentialhabitat,mangrovescontributekeyenvironmentalservices.Theirelaborateroot systemsaccumulateorganicmatter, forminga richecosystemwhileslowingwaterflow,filteringharmfulnitratesandphosphates,andsometimesevencollectingenoughsedimenttocreate small islands. Mangrove forests help stabilize shorelines against erosion and form abufferzonethathelpstoreducehurricaneandstormsurgedamage.Althoughcoastalhabitatslikemangrovescoverlessthan20%ofthetotaloceanarea,theyaccountformorethanhalfofthecarbonsequesteredinoceansediments,mitigatingclimatechangethrough“bluecarbon.”

Despitetheirimportance,mangrovesaredisappearingfasterthantherainforest,withonly an estimated 50% of mangrove forests intact, many of these in poor condition.2 Theworldwide greatest threat to mangroves is deforestation for shrimp farms, which in turncontaminate aquifers and remaining mangroves with chemical waste from antibiotics,pesticidesandfertilizers.Millionsofacresofmangroveshavealsobeencutforagricultureandreal estate development, which further compromise surviving mangroves by pumpingindustrial, and organic wastes into water supplies, which then negatively affects the fishingindustry.InFlorida,coastaldevelopmentmostthreatensmangroves.

Asfisheriesdeclineandcoastalareasbecomemoreexposedandvulnerabletostormdamage, people are investigating inmangrove restoration and protection projects like livingshorelines.Resolutionsvarydependingonlocallyspecificthreats,includinglegalactionagainstshrimp farms, books teaching elementary students environmental stewardship, replantingthousandsofacresofmangroves,andpromotingecotourismtoprovidejobswhileprotectingthisvaluableecosystem.Duetodamagefromcoastaldevelopment,Florida implementedtheMangroveProtectionActtoconserveandrestorethisvaluableecosystem.

Everyonecanhelpprotect themangrovesbykeeping thewater clean,beingvigilantandreportingdamagetotheappropriateauthorities,talkingtootherstoeducatethemonthebenefitsofmangroves,andgettinginvolvedwithvolunteergroupsreplantingandmaintainingthemangroves.Buyingsustainablyraisedshrimpatthegrocerystoreanddonatingmoneyandtimetomangroverestorationprojectsarealsohelpful.It’simportanttotakepartandhelpsavethemangrovesandtherichvarietyoflifethatdependsuponthem.

SupplementalResources1- OceanPortal.SmithsonianNationalMuseumofNaturalHistory.

http://ocean.si.edu/mangroves2- VirtualTour:“Mangroves:ProtectorsoftheCoast.”OdysseyEarth.

hdp://www.odysseyearth.com/videos/mangroves-protectors-of-the-coast/3- VirtualTour:“LifecycleoftheRedMangrove.”OdysseyEarth

hdp://www.odysseyearth.com/videos/the-life-cycle-of-the-red-mangrove/

Vocabulary:

Mangrove:Atreeorshrubthatgrowsinchieflytropicalcoastalswamps,whicharefloodedathightide.Mangrovesoftenhavethick,tangledrootsandformdensethicketthatisacrucialhabitatformanyspecies.Pneumatophores:Thin,pencil-likerootsthatstickupthroughthesedimentandactassnorkelsforsomemangrovespecies

Lenticels:Cell-likebreathingporesontheaerialrootsofsomemangrovesthattakeinoxygenatlow-tideandcloseupduringhightide.

Propagules:Elongatedseedpodsofthemangroveswhicharealreadygerminatedandreadytorootwhentheyfallfromthetree,andmaywithstanduptoayearfloatinginsaltwateruntiltheylandinasuitablespot.

RedMangrove:AFloridaspeciesthatgrowsrightalongthecoastandfeaturesarchingredrootsthatriseabovethewater,darkleavesandlongpropagules.

BlackMangrove:ThisFloridaspeciesgrowsslightlyinland,andsendsoutthousandsofblack,pencil-likepneumatophoresandoftenhassalt-encrustedleaves.

WhiteMangrove:ThisFloridaspeciespreferstobefurtherinland,producingspikesoflightgreenflowersandtwosmallglandsatthebaseofeachleaf.

Deforestation:TheclearingofforeststhatresultsinenvironmentaldamageEnvironmentalStewardship:Theresponsibleuseandprotectionofthenaturalenvironmentthroughconservationandsustainablepractices.

MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.3

ProtecttheMangroves!CommercialMaterials

• Linedwritingpaper• Blankpaper• Pencilsorpens• Coloringutensils(markers,crayons,orcoloredpencils)• Tapeorglueasneeded• Propsthatmaybeavailable

Procedure

1. Dividestudentsintogroupsoffourandsupplyeachgroupwithpaperandcoloringutensils.

2. HavestudentsimaginethattheyareaMangroveProtec,onOrganiza,onthatwantsthecityofMiamitoprotectitsmangroves,whileaconstruc,oncompanywantstocutdownthemangrovestobuildashoppingmall.

3. Eachgroupwillchooseanamefortheirfic,onalprotec,onorganiza,onandaslogantopresenttheirmessagetoprotectthemangroves(i.e.SavetheMiamiMangroves!)

4. Havestudentsdefinethemangrovehabitatandmakealistofbenefitsthatmangrovesprovidetothecommunity.

5. Usingthedefini,onandlistofbenefits,studentswillwriteandprepareacommercialconvincingvoterstoprotectthemangroves.Theymaydecidetouseprops,prepareavisualorsignwiththepaperandcolors,andmaydecidetouseanimalsascharacters.(Remindthemofscriptformat:Brenda:“Hello”Bobby:”Hi!”)

6. Haveeachgrouppresenttheircommercial.

WorksheetAnswerKey

1. BlackMangrove:B2. WhiteMangrove:C3. RedMangrove:A4. WordScramble:

CoastHabitatFishErosionHurricanesDeforestationPlanting

Mangrove:Atreeorshrubthatgrowschieflyalongtropicalcoastalshorelines,whicharefloodedathightide.Mangrovesoftenhavethick,tangledrootsandformdenseforestthatisacrucialhabitatformanyspecies.Deforestation:TheclearingofforeststhatresultsinenvironmentaldamageEnvironmentalStewardship:Theresponsibleuseandprotectionofthenaturalenvironmentthroughconservationandsustainablepractices.

Havestudentswriteapostcardtotheirmomanddadfromthemangroves,summarizingtoday’slessontodescribetheecosystemtheyare“visiting”andexplainitsimportance.Studentswillcompletethemangroveworksheetafterclass,andwriteanexplanatoryentryintheirsciencejournalsrespondingtothefollowingprompt:Ifyoucouldbeananimalinthemangroveecosystem,whichanimalwouldyoubeandwhy?Howwouldthemangrovessupportyou?

ExtensionActivity:

Assessment:

Vocabulary:

ProgramPartner:

MarineConserva,onScience&PolicyCurriculum–2012,2015DeeringEstate.Allrightsreserved.4

MSCP

Mangroves

4. Mangroves are important species that grow along the (OTASC) _____________, forming a densethicket that provides (BAHTTAI) _____________ for many organisms. Many of the (FHSI)_________,crustaceansandmollusksthatweeatarebornhere,that’swhythemangrovesareoftencalled“nature’snursery”. Mangroves also protect our coastlines from (ORSEINO)______________ by securing thesedimentwiththeirstrongrootsystems,andreducefloodinganddamageduringstrongstormslike(URIRAENCSH)______________.Unfortunately,manymangrovesarebeingdamagedby(NIASRFDEOETTO)________________,thecuttingdownoflargetractsofforests.Wecanhelpprotectthemangrovesandtheanimalsthatliveinthishabitatbyeducatingothersand(LTANPNGI)______________newmangrovesforfuturegenerationstoenjoy.

Mangrovesaretreesorshrubsthatgrowintropicalandsubtropicalcoastalswampswhicharefloodedathightide.Mangroveshavethick,tangledrootsandformadensethicketthatisacrucialhabitattomanymarineandterrestrialspecies.ThreespeciescanbefoundinFlorida,eachforminganessentialpartofthemangroveecosystem,protectingcoastsfromerosion,reducingflooding,andprovidingahomeformanyanimalsincludingoysters,turtles,fish,crocodiles,andbirdssuchasthebrownpelicanandroseatespoonbill.

Drawlinestomatchthenameofthemangrovewiththecorrespondingpictureanddescription.

1.BlackMangrove 2.WhiteMangrove 3.RedMangrove

c.Aspeciesthatgrowsrightalongthecoastandfeaturesarchingredrootsthatriseabovethewater,darkleavesandlongpropagules.

a.Thisspeciesgrowsslightlyinland,sendingoutthousandsofblack,pencil-likepneumatophorestoaidinrespiration,andoftenhassalt-encrustedleaves.

b.Thisspeciespreferstobefurtherinlandthantheothers,producingspikesoflightgreenflowersandtwosmallglandsatthebaseofeachleaf.

A. B. C.