Mangrove forests cannot
withstand freezing temperature that is why they can only grow at tropical and
subtropical latitudes whereas salt marshes grow in middle to high latitudes. Mangrove
forests can be recognized by their tangle of roots that allow them to stand
still on stilts above water. The roots of the mangrove trees slow the movement
of tidal waters causing the sediments to settle out of water and build up the muddy
bottom. For salt marshes, they are coastal wetlands that are flooded and
drained by salt water brought by tidal waves. The difference between the two is
that mangrove forests are woodlands and salt marshes are coastal wetlands.
