Generally speaking, public perception regarding tropical forests rarely includes mangrove forests, in spite of the fact that this type of ecosystem is found exclusively in tropical and subtropical regions of the planet. Clearly, their characteristics are entirely different from what popular imagination considers as "tropical forests" (exuberant vegetation, gigantic trees, accompanied by the most varied range of species of fauna). However, this does not mean that mangroves are not a type of tropical forest, and a unique one at that.
This book includes numerous articles describing mangrove characteristics in detail, highlighting the social and environmental benefits it provides as well as the struggles for its conservation. Therefore we do not intend to enter into this level of detail but to provide an overall vision helping those who will delve deeper into the book to understand the issue globally.