Covering a total area of 20,000 hectares, Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve in South China's Guangdong province is the largest mangrove nature reserve in the country.

Mangrove forests refer to the tidal flat wetland woody plant community that grows in the upper part of the intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical coasts, and is flooded by periodic tide waters. It is a special ecosystem for land-to-ocean transition that grows on the tidal flats of the land-ocean boundary zone.

Mangroves can prevent wind and waves, promote siltation and preservation of beaches, protect levees and fix revetment, as well as purify sea water and air. In addition, mangroves play an important role in ecological protection.

Lingtou Island area of the Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve. [Photo by Deng Hua/Xinhua]