Species
There are more than 50 species of mangroves in the world, but in Florida, there are only three species of mangrove trees, the red, black and white mangrove. About 90 percent of Florida's mangroves are located in the four southern-most counties.
Ecosystem Role
The roots of the mangrove trap organic materials and nutrients from the watery ecosystem in which it grows. Mangroves filter runoff and trap debris and therefore, help in improving the quality of water. The mangrove forest, then, is intimately connected with the environmental health of the coastal ecosystem.
Wildlife Habitat
A wide number of differing types of marine organisms are dependent on the mangrove forests for their home, as well as a variety of birds which roost and nest in the mangrove trees. In Florida, such endangered species as hawksbill turtles, bald eagles and American crocodiles find their home in the mangrove forests. Several species of sharks and snakes such as Burmese pythons also dwell there. Bird species, such as the mangrove cuckoo and black-whiskered vireo, are found nowhere else in North America.