World Mangrove Day Crossword

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Across
  1. 5. Mangroves have been recorded to absorb almost 10 times as much _____ from the atmosphere than terrestrial forests.
  2. 8. What kind of shark is most commonly found in mangrove forests?
  3. 9. Wide areas of mangroves can help reduce the height of a _____ as it breaches the coast, reducing the potential loss of life and property.
  4. 11. The American ________ is quite rare, relying heavily on mangrove habitats for their survival. This reptile can now only be found in the north Florida Bay and nearby swamps, as well as the north end of Key Largo.
  5. 12. Many mangrove forests can be recognized by their dense tangle of prop ____ that make the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water.
  6. 14. _______ crabs are scavengers and may be found among mangroves feeding on algae, invertebrates, and dead organisms.
  7. 15. Mangroves serve as nurseries for many species of tropical ___.
  8. 16. Only three species of _______ are known to occur in mangroves.
  9. 17. Mangrove forests stabilize the coastline, reducing ______ from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides.
  10. 19. What charismatic big cat is most often seen in mangrove forests?
  11. 20. The loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green sea ____ (Chelonia mydas) utilize the mangroves as juvenile nurseries, receiving protection from predators as well as an area rich in food.
Down
  1. 1. Florida's mangrove forests primarily consist of four tree species: red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), black mangrove (Avicennia germinans), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) and _______ (Conocarpus erectus).
  2. 2. In Thailand, Mexico and Indonesia, mangroves are often cut down to make room for temporary _____ pens. But once the pens have been removed, the accumulated biowaste renders the water too toxic for most forms of life.
  3. 3. The critically endangered ____ ____ is rarely seen in the wild but sightings occur almost exclusively in the everglades mangrove forest.
  4. 4. Most Mangrove trees live and thrive on muddy soil and can filter out as much as 90% of all the ____ in seawater when it enters their roots.
  5. 6. Unlike most trees, mangroves can grow directly in salty or ______ water.
  6. 7. A relative of the manatee, the _____ relies on sea grass in mangrove channels to survive.
  7. 10. The largest amount of mangrove coverage can be found in _______, where mangrove trees cover some 31,000 square kilometers (about 12,000 square miles) — roughly the size of Maryland.
  8. 13. Mangroves are under threat nearly everywhere, but the problem is particularly acute in ______, where one study estimated the mangrove loss rate is more than five times the global average.
  9. 15. The United States has roughly 2,000 square kilometers (about 800 square miles) of mangroves — an area about four-fifths the size of Luxembourg — located almost entirely in southern ______.
  10. 18. area where freshwater meets the sea, creating a salinity gradient from pure freshwater to full-strength seawater