14
The Indian Sundarbans appears as a continuous green carpet in aerial surveys,
consisting of dense low trees ranging from 3–5  m in height comprising of
Excoecaria agallocha and Avicennia spp. Rhizophora apiculata and R. mucronata
Fig. 1.6 Pneumatophores of mangroves act as structures against wave attenuation
Table 1.6 Classification of Indian mangroves habitats
Sl
No. Category
Description
Example
(a) Deltaic
mangrove
habitat
High tidal actions along with tidal amplitude
are the characteristic features associated with
deltaic mangrove habitat. In this habitat
strong tidal currents are seen which are
responsible for the dispersion of sediments
brought to the coasts by the rivers and the
main river channels.
Sundarban mangrove forest
in West Bengal, mangrove
forest in Mahanadi delta in
Odisha, mangrove forest in
the Bhavnagar estuary in
Gujarat.
(b) Coastal
mangrove
habitat
The tidal range is not very high in the coastal
mangrove habitat. This habitat is formed by
the deposition of terrigenous sands, silts and
clays brought by the river discharges.
It includes the inter- tidal
coastlines, minor river
mouths, sheltered bays and
back water areas of the west
coast.
(c) Island
mangrove
habitat
This type of mangrove habitat is seen at the
mouths where rivers are seen to border the
open sea.
It includes shallow but
protected inter tidal zones of
bay island and Lakshadweep
Atoll.
1 Ecosystem Services of Mangroves: An Overview