Hutan berair melimpah di Indonesia

THE WATER-LOGGED FOREST IN INDONESIA, Because of their situation in estuaries, and thus having affinities with both terrestrial and aquatic environments, mangrove provide an interesting natural laboratory for ecologists. In Indonesia, mangroves occupied a large areas of about 4.25 million hectare, and they well developed and grow along the shores of estuaries, tidal creeks and sheltered bays. Physiognomically and structurally, there are very distinct different between mangroves in Lesser Sunda Inslands and larger island such as Sumatra, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya. Zonation in mangrove forest is a response changes to the duration of tidal flooding, soil salinity, available sunlight, currents and fresh water run-off Each of these factors changes along a transect from the water's edge to the land. They also differ from place to place within estuary or tidal river system. Mangroves cope with salinity in several ways, and there are two groups in terms of salt, namely Excluders (e.g. Rhizophora & Ceriops), arid Excretors (e.g. Aegiceras & Aegialitis). Many mangroves are viviparous. Furthermore, with an abundance of water, nutrients and sunlight, the Rhizophora forests in TirisIndramayu produces 5.3. ton of dry leaf/ha/year. Also, the economic importance of mangroves is considerable in large number of villages within the islands. In Indonesia where the national economy is also supported upon these trees, an opportunity exists for an extended to conservation and management. In this article I am taken into the very heart of these waterlogged forests and given the opportunity to feel the pulse of a threatened environment.