Times of the Islands Fall 2019

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Traveling through the mangrove channels via kayak or paddleboard is an awe-inspiring and magical experience. I am fascinated as our guide explains what a mangrove forest is and how it functions. We listen intently as he talks about these special plants that grow in coastal saline or “brackish” water. These plants are salt-tolerant (halophytes) and adapted for life in relatively harsh coastal conditions. The way mangrove forests work is an amazing feat of nature. One of the first things we learn is why their roots rise up out of the water. Mangrove roots are pneumatophores, specialized to facilitate aeration. For at least part of the day, these aerial, or breathing, roots, are exposed to the air. This is crucial, as the mud or sediment in the mangrove forest is oxygen-poor, unstable and incapable of supporting the underground root system. Nature adapted by creating roots that reach up and out for the oxygen mangroves need to survive. Another amazing and noticeable magic trick of Mother Nature is the way she sacrifices one leaf to protect the “soul” of the plant. The sacrificial leaf is where the plant filters out salt from the roots. The leaf turns yellow or brown, and when it has reached its maximum salinity, it falls off and a new leaf takes over. The leaf that falls off will decompose and feed smaller creatures, therefore continuing the circle of life. Mangrove forests are one of the most important ecosystems on the earth, and there is something incredibly spiritual and magical about gliding through them. Their dense root systems trap sediments flowing off the land, which helps stabilize the coastlines and helps prevent erosion caused by storms and big waves, as well as keeping the sediment from flowing out onto the reef and smothering the corals and seagrass. Besides being a protective barrier for the islands, the mangroves have many other contributing benefits to a healthy eco-system. One of those benefits is that the mangrove forest serves as a nursery and safe haven for many species. Juvenile reef and lemon sharks stay in the safety of the mangroves for about two years, where they are safe from predators in the shallow water and dense root system. The juvenile sharks (pups) use this time to grow and practice hunting little fish, learning the skills they will need to survive out on the reef. Juvenile sea turtles not only use this safe haven to grow and hide from predators—there is a rich source of vegetation for them in the mangroves, increasing their survival odds. While we move through the forest, the sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling is a calm and peaceful sound. The gentle movement of the water flowing under us is 42 www.timespub.tc
Top: This isolated red mangrove bush is located in Stakes Bank near South Caicos, and serves one of the few frigatebird rookeries remaining in the Turks & Caicos. Bottom: A flamboyance of Caribbean flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) take flight near Vine Point in the Ramsar Nature Reserve on the south coast of Middle Caicos. Times of the Islands Fall 2019 43
Page 1 and 2: TIMES SAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURK
Page 3 and 4: TURKS & CAICOS Generation Everyone
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Times of the Islands Fall 2019

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