Question- Mangrove Forest How Do The Roots Of The Mangrove

Question- Mangrove Forest How do the roots of the mangrove trees adapt to the waterlogged soil conditions?

Coastal zone- Sonneratia have aerial roots that are exposed during low tide to breathe.

Middle Zone- Rhizophora have prop roots to provide support for the trees on muddy soil.

Inland Zone- Bruguiera have knee-like roots to provide support on the soft soil. How are forests important to us?

- Support diversity of plants and animals. - Natural habitats for many animals. - Provide us with resources. (e.g. food, wood, medicine, etc.) - Part of our natural heritage for recreation, appreciation of nature, etc.) Provide some examples of how plants adapt to the low light condition at the lower layers of the rainforest.

(As the canopy layer of the tropical rainforest prevents sunlight from reaching the lower layers of the forest, some plants adapted to the low light condition by growing on the tree branches to get more sunlight.)

- Epiphytes e.g. bird nest ferns grow on tree branches for support to obtain more sunlight.

- Lianas wind round tree trunk and grow upwards to obtain sunlight.

- Parasites grow on plants and take food from them.

- Young trees and other smaller plants grow at gaps of canopy where they can get light. Natural Vegetation- Monsoons Explain how monsoons are formed.

Northern hemisphere (Asia)- winter- high pressure Southern hemisphere (Australia)- summer- low pressure Wind blows from Asia (high pressure) to Australia (low pressure) Wind picks up moisture from ocean and bring rain to land Change in direction half yearly during reverse of seasons