On the northern coast of Indonesia"s Sumba Island, a stand of mangrove trees appears to dip and sway to summon another dreamy sunrise. Walakiri Beach is gently sloped, so it"s easy for a visitor to walk out into the knee-deep water to examine the extraordinary transitional zone of a mangrove ecosystem. Mangroves thrive here at the boundary between land and sea, growing in coastal salt water and low-oxygen conditions where other trees would quickly die. Their complex root systems filter out the salt and form a strong natural defense against storm surges, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion. Mangroves also create aquatic nursery habitats that support a highly diverse range of juvenile fish and crustaceans.
The dancing trees of Sumba Island
Today in History
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I m here! Take a look at me!
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Happy World Laughter Day
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National Bison Day
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Manhattan
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Menton, France
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Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
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‘Fringe’ takes center stage as Edinburgh celebrates the arts
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Entoloma hochstetteri mushroom at Lake Mahinapua, New Zealand
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National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
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Space is for everyone
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Getting to the bottom of the underwater waterfall
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A crush in Lavaux
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Fiddlehead fern fronds
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A wild and scenic scene
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Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
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Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
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World Turtle Day
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Life goes on at the Beatles Ashram
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It s a good day to be green
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Breaking the fast for Eid
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It s leap day!
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Opt outside today
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Observing a squirrelly day
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Bringing the moon to Earth
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A century since Tut s tomb was discovered
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Corfe gets creepy
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The stylish Spanish shawl
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Earth at Perihelion
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Earth Day and National Park Week
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The desert blooms