Scientifically, they are only distantly related and are grouped more by ecological function. The mangrove community is valued for its protection and stabilization of lowlying coastal lands and its importance in estuarine and coastal fishery food chains. Mangroves serve as feeding, breeding, and nursery grounds for a great variety of fish, shellfish, birds, and other wildlife. The Mangrove Habitat Mangroves are found on offshore islands and in tidal estuaries where freshwater from the land mixes with saltwater. Each mangrove species has a different level of salt tolerance, which in part determines its location in tidal zones.
Mangroves are highly dependent on freshwater runoff to maintain an optimum salinity balance.
Along the coast, mangrove-fringed estuaries appear to be a maze of connected islands surrounded by twisting water channels. Soils associated with mangrove communities are peat or fine sand underlain by sand or clays that become saturated with this brackish water. Mud flats are exposed as tides recede, drawing hundreds of white ibis and other wading birds to the abundance of crustaceans and other marine life. The Rookery Bay Sanctuary near Marco Island is a prime example of mangrove habitat and is a bird watchers paradise. Leaves dropped from the trees are decomposed by fungi and other microorganisms which add to the nutritive value of the litter.