Their distinct, stilt-like roots allow the trees to slow the movement of tidal waters, causing the settlement of suspended sediments and acting as a protective barrier to reduce coastal erosion. These roots also provide an important habitat for many species.

Mangrove forests live at the interface between the land, the ocean, and the atmosphere, and are centres for the flow of energy and matter between these systems. They have attracted much research interest because of the various ecological functions of the mangrove ecosystems, including