Panama Bight Mangroves - A Global Ecoregion
Tallest mangrove forests in the world
Snapshot: Ecoregion 142
Size:
13,404 sq. km (5,175 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Mangroves
Geographic Location: Northwest South America - Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia Conservation
Status:
Relatively Stable/Intact
13,404 sq. km (5,175 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Mangroves
Geographic Location: Northwest South America - Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia Conservation
Status:
Relatively Stable/Intact
Quiz Time!
How do mangroves adapt to life in salty water?
Answer:
Different species of mangrove trees have different adaptations for dealing with salty water. Some drop salt-filled leaves while others have pores that excrete salt near their leaves. Mangrove tree seeds are also adapted to float so they can colonise new mud flats.
About the Area
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Gulf of Guayaquil-Tumbes mangroves; Gulf of Panama mangroves; Manabí mangroves; Esmeraldes-Pacific Colombia mangroves.
The Panama Bight mangroves are the most important intact mangroves in the world, in addition to being the most extensive in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The trees here are the tallest mangrove specimens in the Neotropics.Local Species
The Panama Bight Mangroves are important breeding grounds for many reef fish, shrimp, and other animals, all seeking protection from predators in the root tangles.
Species include Rhizophora mangroves, Mangrove yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia bryanti), Mangrove cuckoo (Coccyzus minor), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), and Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).
Threats
Mangroves are threatened through siltation from excessive soil runoffs, in addition to activities such as dam construction, transshipment of oil, pesticide use, and shrimp farming.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
