These fish species then carry the nutrients from the leaves to grass beds and coral reefs, resulting in more fish and more bountiful and beautiful coral reefs. The barrier reef along the Belize coastline results in a protected environment that is ideal for the growth of mangroves. In fact, many of the cayes along the Belize coastline resulted from mangrove roots trapping sediment among their roots, which in turn nourished still more mangrove, which in turn, increased land mass - eventually resulting in a new caye. Water from mangroves that exclude salt is so fresh that it is drinkable by humans, even though the mangrove may be standing in very salty soil or water. Mangroves are used by local populations in producing food, medicine, fuel wood and construction materials.
Red mangrove is good for smoking meats.
The most common types of mangrove are the Red Mangrove, White Mangrove, Black Mangrove and Buttonwood. Its bark is red and the tree grows many arching prop roots that anchor it in the soil. These lenticels allow the red mangrove to get needed oxygen that is unavailable in the soil and water because of the high level of decaying organic matter formed by falling leaves from the mangrove. A single red mangrove can produce 8 grams of dry organic matter per square meter per day. The leaves of the red mangrove are oval, thick, dark green above, yellowish green below.