Cooper's Bayou by Martha Rhine

Our class visited Cooper's Bayou to get a closer look at the mangroves. Mangroves line the shorelines or form islands. They are important because they help to protect the inland from bad weather, prevent erosion, provide nutrients, and a place for wildlife to be.

There are a few different mangroves. The white mangrove has rounded, lime-green leaves and produces seeds that look like a bean.

The black mangrove is the tallest. The leaves are green but have a white underside. This mangrove has pointy, finger-like roots that rise from the ground, called pneumatophores.

The red mangrove is characterized by its waxy, pointy, dark green leaves. They are the only ones with prop roots and the only ones to have "live young" called propagules. These pencil shaped seeds can float for up to a year until they take root.

In addition, we also learned that estuaries are transition zones where sea water mixes with fresh water. This fresh water can come from rivers, springs, runoff, etc.

 Mollusks act as a substrate