PET 2026 · Environment

Mangroves: tides, roots and coastal life

Trace how tidal mudflats, specialised roots and detritus sustain deltaic coasts

MINDMAPS FOR UPSCPET 2026 · VISUAL REVISION

Mangroves: tides, roots and coastal life

Trace how tidal mudflats, specialised roots and detritus sustain deltaic coasts

Tidal mangrove ecosystem cycle
  1. 1 · Tides and waterlogged soil

    • Mangroves occupy coastal intertidal habitats.
    • Tides move water, sediment and nutrients through the habitat.
    • Salinity and low-oxygen soils create different challenges from dry land.
  2. 2 · Roots modify the habitat

    • Some species have breathing roots; others have prop or stilt roots.
    • Root systems can slow currents and trap sediment.
    • Adaptations vary by species; not every mangrove has every root form.
  3. 3 · Litter supports food webs

    • Microbes break down fallen leaves into detrital material.
    • Detritus supports invertebrates and wider coastal food webs.
    • Sheltered roots provide feeding and nursery habitat for many aquatic species.
  4. 4 · Regeneration and protection

    • Propagules or seedlings establish where water, sediment and other conditions suit them.
    • New growth renews the habitat; healthy belts can reduce erosion and wave energy.
    • The Sundarbans lies in the Ganga–Brahmaputra–Meghna delta across India and Bangladesh.
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