Mangrove forests grow along the coast, river estuaries, and some even grow in peat swamps. This community and forest growth are influenced by several natural factors, such as soil type, salinity, and tides, and waves.
Muddy soil is very good as a medium for growing most types of mangrove species in Indonesia. Rhizophora mucronata and Avicennia marina are two examples of well-developed species in these soil types. Meanwhile, species such as Rhizophora stylosa grow well in sandy soil media. Mangrove species can also grow on rocky beach media such as R. stylosa and Sonneratia alba.
Because this forest is in tidal areas, plants that live in mangrove forests are unique, because it is a combination of the characteristics of plants that live on land and in the sea.
This mangrove forest as a unique ecosystem has many benefits, including preventing seawater intrusion, preventing coastal erosion and abrasion, preventing natural filtering, as a place of life and food source for several species of animals.
Adaptation of Cilacap Mangrove Forests
Various mangrove species have strategies in dealing with extreme environmental conditions. Certain mangrove species can avoid the absorption of salt from the growing place, while other species can remove salt from the special glands of their leaves.
Waves and unstable growing conditions make the mangrove tree has its special features on its roots. The mangrove vegetation has a special root such as the peg or root (pneumatophore), knee root, board root, and hanging roots. Some species even have fruits that germinate even though they are still attached to the parent tree such as Kandelia, Bruguiera, Ceriops, and Rhizophora species. So that when the fruit falls to the substrate, the fruit can develop faster.
Price of admission Cilacap Mangrove Forest
Generally, the price of a ticket to enter a tourist spot is different between holidays, weeks, or weekdays. Prices can change at any time.
During the weekday, the price of the entrance ticket to the Cilacap Mangrove Forest Tourism is IDR 15,000.00.