Practice question

Coastal biogeographic zone comprising western Konkan Malabar and eastern Coromandel seaboards characterized by tidal influence, saline soils, high humidity. Natural climax vegetation includes mangroves, palm groves, and littoral forests with casuarina. Mangroves are defining halophytic forest type developing in sheltered estuaries, deltas, creeks with species showing aerial roots, vivipary, salt glands. Mangroves stabilize shoreline against erosion, provide nursery for fish and crustaceans, sequester blue carbon. Hence mangroves considered characteristic climax of coastal zone unlike inland biomes. Knowledge of this distribution aids in understanding endemism patterns and UNESCO heritage site designations across India.