Why Are Mangrove Trees So Important?

• This video and short article describe the spread of mangrove trees further north as climate change reduces the amount of hard freezes along the Florida coast. 
• The potentially positive ecological effects of an increased mangrove range are discussed, along with research projects like the Wet Feet Project, which studies the transition of mangroves further north along the Atlantic coast. 
• The video also highlights the ecosystem services provided by mangrove ecosystems such as wave mitigation, erosion control, fish nurseries, and blue carbon storage. 

Positives

• This video highlights some interesting effects of climate change that could help balance out some of the losses of mangroves from other human activities or excessive saltwater intrusion.
• The term "blue carbon" is highlighted, which helps students understand the importance of protecting coastal habitats.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be familiar the concept of increasingly severe weather as an effect of climate change.
• The additional short video provides an example of the power of mangroves to absorb wave energy, which could be replicated in a class experiment or demonstration.
  

Differentiation

• Consider having students research weather patterns in Florida over the past few decades to understand the causes of changing ecosystems.
• Have students pair up to discuss the potential pros and cons of expanded mangrove forests along the Florida coast.
• Biology and environmental science classes could use this resource to discuss the benefits of mangrove forests as hotspots of biodiversity, carbon sequestration powerhouses, coastal storm protectors, and water filtering plants.
  
• Other resources related to this topic include The Solution to Climate Change is All Around Us and A Natural Solution to Climate Change.