Coastal Vegetation

Question 1

Plants close to the seashore are affected by _______ & ________.

Answer 1

saltsprays & strong winds

Question 2

Name one plant found close to the seashore?

Answer 2

sea grape

Question 3

What is the word used to describe plants which grow well in very salt conditions?

Answer 3

halophyte

Question 4

What ,kind of plants are found close to the sea

Answer 4

halophytic plants

Question 5

Give the names of 3 swamps

Answer 5

Caroni Swamp, Nariova Swamp & Oropouche Lagoon

Question 6

In what type of areas are mangrove forests found?

Answer 6

areas which from time to time are covered with salt/brackish water (partly salt & partly fresh water)

Question 7

What is the role of the roots of the mangrove tree?

Answer 7

it traps mud washed down by rivers.

Question 8

What are the species of Mangrove found in the Caribbean?

Answer 8

red mangrove
black mangrove
white mangrove

Question 9

Describe the red mangrove

Answer 9

it has long still roots that stick up out of the water, the roots are submerged at high tide.

Question 10

Describe the black mangrove

Answer 10

it sends out a large number of finger-like root which up through the mud.

Question 11

Give an example of a fresh water swamp in Jamaica

Answer 11

Great Morasses

Question 12

Where is the fresh water swamp in Jamaica found?

Answer 12

in the eastern and western ends of Jamaica and in parts of the drainage basin in Black River

Question 13

Another name for mangrove wetlands is?

Answer 13

swamp

Question 14

Define mangrove wetlands

Answer 14

a coastal ecosystem found in tropical an subtropical regions

Question 15

what does halophyte mean?

Answer 15

salt loving

Question 16

What is an estuary?

Answer 16

a coastal water body where freshwater from rivers or streams meets with salt water from oceans or seas

Question 17

what kind of vegetation is observed in a mangrove forest

Answer 17

woody vegetation

Question 18

Which type of mangrove is found closest to the sea

Answer 18

red mangrove

Question 19

which type of mangrove obtains water from the ocean through a process called ‘reverse osmosis’?

Answer 19

red mangrove

Question 20

Name two ways in which the red mangrove copes with high levels of salt

Answer 20

1) it obtains water from the ocean through reverse osmosis

2) its long arching aerial woody roots help anchor the plant in the soft muddy sediment

Question 21

how does the red mangrove obtain oxygen?

Answer 21

through the roots

Question 22

Give one function of the roots of the red mangrove other than obtaining oxygen

Answer 22

stabilizing the coastal environment by trapping sediment

Question 23

Outline the differences in the way that Red Mangroves cope with salty conditions vs how Black & White Mangroves cope

Answer 23

The red mangrove copes by obtaining water from the ocean through reverse osmosis and obtain oxygen through the roots.

The Black & White Mangroves are found further inland so they cope by excreting excess salt unto their leaves and oxygen is transferred directly to the roots.

Question 24

What are the importances of mangrove wetlands?

Answer 24

Coastal Protection- the dense tangle of mangrove roots help to trap sediment. If the mangroves are removed, the muddy sediment washes away leaving the coastline unprotected

Ecological(biodiversity) importance- mangrove swamps provide habitats for many species and fish which benefit from the calm and shelter

Stabilize the Coast- the above ground roots help to slow the flow of water, causing the deposition of sediment which would otherwise be carried into the sea. Their roots help to bind the soil, preventing erosion

Remove excess nutrients and pollutants - mangroves remove nutrients like phosphates and nitrates from the water before it enters the sea. They also have the ability to remove pollutants such as various heavy metals from the water.

Help Fight Climate Change- mangrove forests help combat climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They are also able to store carbon in the soil.