Aerial shot of mangroves at King Sound, Western Australia

© Ingo Oeland/Alamy Stock Phot

Magnificent mangroves. All about the mangroves

While they may look like your average tree, mangroves are a fascinatingly unique plant. Their root system, for example, is more aerial in structure, exposing breathing roots that are traditionally hidden from view. This helps the mangrove cope with regular tidal inundation and a lack of oxygen in the soil - two factors that are crucial given they are often found in tropical and subtropical areas. The mangroves you see in today’s image are at King Sound in Western Australia, but our country is actually home to more than half of the world’s mangrove species.