Mangrove Magic by Ghazally Ismail

Author:Ghazally Ismail [Ismail, Ghazally]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781664108233
Publisher: Xlibris NZ
Published: 2022-11-21T05:00:00+00:00

Mud crabs displace sediments and mix particles when they create their burrows. Ecologically, they are invaluable in playing this role by engineering the physical and chemical properties of the mangroves. They help to increase the surface area of mangrove sediments, providing more oxygen for bacterial communities to break down organic material and recycle nutrients.

Not exactly visible with the naked eye, there are homes even on the surface of the water. These are floating nests. During breeding seasons, resident waterbirds build their nests along the edges of the wet portions of the mangrove forests. Siting their homes on waterlogged areas serves a good strategy to keep their eggs and chicks safe from land predators, which usually roam on dry land. The nests are made of floating dead vegetation and living water plants. On many occasions, I have tried looking for nests of waders such as white-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus, and common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos, on my trips to the mangrove areas. I have seen adult waterhens darting in and out of the grassy undergrowth but have never seen their nests. They must have cleverly built the nests concealed, not in plain sight of birds of prey or ‘predatory’ humans.

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