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Adaptations

Environmental conditions and Adaptations of the mangrove plant

Morphological adaptations
Root system
Leaves
Flowers
Seeds and propagules
Mangroves are facultative halophytes- they are plants adapted to live in soil or water containing much salt and have the
ability to live under changing conditions of submersion, light intensity, etc
Mangroves have to cope with these major environmental conditions

1. Salinity
2. Tidal inundation
3. Water logging

Morphological adaptations
Root System:
There are 3 types of roots in a mangrove tree
1. Cable roots:
radiate from trunk.
about 20-30 cm below the surface.
fine-feeding roots grow off these radial roots.
feeding roots create a stable platform.
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2. Prop Roots:
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Adaptations

also descend from trunk.

supplement O2 uptake from pneumatophores.
provide additional support for the trunk of the tree in the soft mud.
3. Pneumatophores:
they act as breathing roots.
very shallow rooted.
heavily pitted with lenticels-lenticels are hydrophobic and therefore
do not allow water to pass through.
Pneumatophores reach to above the high tide line, and there by maintain a direct gas connection between the air and
radial roots. In the pneumatophore, the epidermis is covered by cuticle and is heavily pitted with lenticels-lenticels are
hydrophobic and do not allow water to pass through. In the cortex, cells of the outer layers have chloroplasts for
photosynthesis. The mangrove substrate has a high salt concentration relative to plant cells. There is an overall
movement of Na+ and Cl- into the cells and movement of water out of the cells. This results in greater [NaCl] inside
root cells than [NaCl] of seawater. The cells have an active transport mechanism to remove Na+ and Cl- from the plant
cell against the concentration gradient. This process requires a huge amount of energy, which comes in the form of ATP
from the mitochondria.
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Leaves:
The leaves are ovate, slightly curved, 5-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide.
The upper surface of the leaf is smooth.
The lower surface has hairs that are hydrophobic and therefore
prevents water from entering leaf.
The picture beside shows the internal structure of the mangrove leaf. Tidal inundation reduces photosynthesis by causing
stomatal closure and the presence of fine mud deposits on leaves. The stomata need to open for gaseous exchange to
occur (CO2 needed for photosynthesis). Water may close the aperture-air cannot leave the pore when flooded. The
hairy underside of the leaves trap small particles of air, thus preventing water from entering the leaf. Minute glands on the
surface of the leaves on mangroves allow secretion of excess salt, and rain washes the secreted salt away. Mangrove
can also accumulate salt in older leaves that soon fall away with their load.
Reproductive systems of the mangroves
Flowers:
Flowering season begins in February and finishes at the end of April.
Flowers form in clusters of 4-8 flower heads with an outer covering of fine hairs.
They are small, scented, drab fawny colour, with a diameter of 5-8 cm.
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Seeds and Propagules:

The seeds of mangroves usually develop into young seedlings called propagules, which germinate while still attached to
the tree. These
propagules are specially adapted for dispersal by water. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some like long
rods, some like balls and others like cigars or beans. They are buoyant and can drift for months before taking root in a
suitable substrate. Many are lost by washing up high on a sandy beach and drying out in the sun. Long, cigar-shaped
propagules, such as those of our subject, Rhizophora mangle, float upright in the water, roots trailing below and leaves
sprouting above.

To summarize, their major adaptations include

Aerial parts which do not become submerged - roots
Ability to live in low oxygen levels in the soil
Concentration of salt in dry leaves
Active secretion of salt through leaves
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