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Biodiversity In Belize Essay

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Biodiversity in Belize The South Caye Marine Reserve region is located along the Belize Barrier Reef. This reef is the second largest in the world, and the largest in the northern hemisphere. Two very important ecosystems in the Belize Barrier Reef area are the coral reef, and the mangrove trees. These ecosystems assist in determining the biodiversity of the area, affecting animals of the water, land, and sky. Without each other these two ecosystems would diminish, they rely on the other to thrive. These two ecosystems benefit the environment, and also the economy. Since the economy tends to be viewed as more important than preservation of nature, the government had to step in and create laws that will preserve the ecosystem. Mangroves are the centre of a very intricate ecosystem. As a whole, mangroves are sometimes considered to be the most complex and productive ecosystem on earth (Frost, Emily). Many individuals consider the mangrove trees to be where the sea meets the land, since it benefits animals of all kinds. There are four different species of mangroves located in Belize, these include: the red mangove (Rhizophora mangle), the black mangove (Avicennia germinans), the white mangrove (Laguncalaria racemosa), and the buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus). The red mangrove is usually found along the water on the cayes and waterways, the black mangroves are found farther from the waters edge, followed by the white mangrove and buttonwood being found furthest inland.

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