Some mangroves have seeds that float in the sea until they find suitable ground to grow on. Other mangroves have long pods which germinate on the tree and then drop into the mud below the parent tree. Komodo National Park has 18 different kinds of mangrove trees. Traditionally, mangroves are a source of firewood, building materials, tannin, dyes, medicine and fruit for local communities. Marine Plants Marina Plants include algae, sea-grasses, and mangroves.
Plants are an important food source or habitat for many different reef animals.
Marine plants, like land plants, require sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce food for their survival. They are made up of a blob of jelly with a hard calcium carbonate shell. The shell is covered in protoplasm which can be expanded and contracted for slow locomotion. The protoplasm is able to feed on microscopic organisms, expel waste and exchange gases. Some forams can float in the water, others are anchored to the reef.