Mangroves form the basis of the estuary’s food chain and serve as important nurseries for fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. In south Florida, seventy-five percent of game fish and ninety percent of commercial species depend on mangrove ecosystems. These systems provide food for many marine organisms, including snook, snapper, tarpon, jack, sheepshead, red drum, trout, oysters, and shrimp. Mangrove forests also provide valuable habitat, with branches serving as rookeries, or nesting areas, for large coastal birds such as brown pelicans and roseate spoonbills, and roots providing habitat for oysters, crabs, juvenile fish, and barnacles. Mangrove swamps, with their specialized root systems, also help prevent erosion, filter out pollution, and protect Florida’s uplands from storm winds, waves, and floods.