This mangrove wetland is not only beautiful, but also has these functions...

Located between land and sea, mangrove wetlands are key ecological areas in the coastal zone. They have multiple ecological functions such as purifying water quality, preventing wind and strengthening embankments, promoting siltation and land formation, and regulating microclimate. They are the habitat of numerous marine organisms and play an indispensable role in maintaining the ecological balance of the ocean.

Hainan's mangrove wetlands are mainly distributed in estuary bays such as Haikou Dongzhai Port, Wenchang Qinglan Port and Danzhou Xinying Bay . Mangrove plants hold hands and arms together, like a giant "net", cleverly dissipating the power of storm waves, and look like a "green Great Wall on the Sea" from a distance.

Hainan Dongzhaigang National Mangrove Nature Reserve is located in Yanfeng Town, Sanjiang Town and Sanjiang Farm in Meilan District, Haikou City, Hainan Province. It is the largest contiguous mangrove reserve in the country and the first national nature reserve established in the country with the main purpose of protecting mangrove ecosystems.

Looking around, the reserve is full of green. The tree crowns are huge, the leaves are thick and shiny like leather, and the trunks are peculiar in shape. In particular, the mangroves have a well-developed root system, including plate roots, prop roots, finger-shaped and shoot-shaped breathing roots, etc. The roots are intertwined, united, and gathered together, forming a stable support in the mud, absorbing the essence of the earth and sea water, and tenaciously resisting the erosion of the coast by waves.

In addition to the tall Sonneratia and Sea Lotus, the reserve also widely plants red mangrove, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, and Kandelia ovata. Among them are the national second-class protected plants such as Water Coconut and Xylocarpus chinaberry, and the red mangrove plum is a national first-class protected plant.

Mangrove plants provide abundant food for animals through the conversion of litter through the food chain. Mangroves are resting stations and breeding grounds for migratory water birds around the world . Starting from September every year, a large number of migratory birds pass through here, and some of them overwinter here.

According to records, many plants in mangroves have high medicinal value . The barks of Mangrove, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Kandelia candela and Paulownia afforestation are rich in tannins and can be used as medicine, with special astringent and anti-diarrhea effects on the intestines; local villagers often use the barks of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Sea Lotus to treat burns; the tannin content of the hornberry is the highest, and it contains anti-liver cancer drug ingredients; the roots of Acanthus sphaerocephala can also treat symptoms such as hepatitis and hepatosplenomegaly; the extract of the leaves of Prunus elata has strong antibacterial activity and can be used to treat eczema and skin itching.

It can be said that mangroves shelter numerous marine creatures and protect the ocean and land. Protecting mangrove wetlands is to protect the marine ecology and to protect humans themselves.

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