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How are mangrove seeds and propagules spread to new coastal habitats?

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Bald cypress trees with wide, flared trunks stand in still, shallow water in a Louisiana swamp, their green foliage creating a dense canopy. — Wetland Stately bald cypresses (*Taxodium distichum*) thriving in a Louisiana swamp.

Mangrove seeds and propagules are primarily spread to new coastal habitats through water, a process known as hydrochory.123

These plants have evolved to produce seeds and propagules that are buoyant, often by being enclosed in corky or air-containing fruits, which allows them to float effectively on ocean and estuarine currents. Once these waterborne propagules reach suitable environments—typically areas protected from high-energy wave action—they are able to settle and establish themselves.123

Because mangroves are highly salt-tolerant, they are often among the first species to colonize mud and sandbanks that have been flooded by seawater, allowing them to expand into new or disturbed coastal areas.4