Leaves of the Mangroves

The leaves of the mangrove forest are evergreen. This is because there are no seasonal changes in both the temperatures and rainfall in the tropical climate. For the Mangroves, they experience tropical equatorial climate as mentioned above, hence their leaves are evergreen.

An example of an evergreen leaf taken in the mangrove forest

In addition, due to the high rainfall throughout the year, the leaves are broad and have drip tips, just like those in the Tropical Rainforest. The leaves have such adaptations because this allows water to flow off the leaves quickly. Due to the high temperatures, the surfaces of the leaves are thick and leathery to reduce water loss during transpiration.

As you can see, the leaves have a broad structure

An example of a broad leaf with drip tips

An example to show that the surface of the leaves are thick and leathery

To enable mangrove trees to grow in salt water, the leaves are uniquely adapted to regulate the amount of salt in the tree. As the mangroves forests consist of four different species, mainly the Avicennia, Sonneratia, Rhizophora and Bruguiera, each tree has leaves that have different adaptations.
For example, species such as the Avicennia are salt secretors. They secrete excess salt on their leaves, which will them be removed by the wind or rain.

This is an example of a Avicennia leaf

This is an example of a salt-secretor leaf

The Bruguiera, Rhizophora and Sonneratia species are known as ultrafiltrators. They absorb salt instead of secreting it. The salt will then be removed by the species as they are stored in old leaves which will then fall off in the end.

An example of a Sonneratia leaf

An example of a Rhidzophora leaf

To end off this part of the mangroves, the five tourists have taken a brief video of the structure of a real Mangrove tree.

This video shows the structure of the Mangroves which are divided into three distinct zones.

This video shows the thick canopy that the mangrove trees have.