Which coastal vegetation is adapted to saturated soils and typically has pneumatophores?

• A. Gas Bladder
• B. Frustule
• C. Mangrove
• D. Holdfast

Answer: (C)

Plants living in coastlines with waterlogged, low-oxygen soils have special adaptations to breathe underground. Mangroves endure saturated mud and saltwater by growing pneumatophores—vertical aerial roots that rise above the mud to access air, helping the roots take in oxygen despite the anaemic, waterlogged conditions. This feature also helps stabilize shorelines and supports a unique coastal ecosystem. The other options are not coastal vegetation with pneumatophores: gas bladders are buoyant structures in some aquatic plants, frustules are silica shells of diatoms, and holdfasts are anchoring structures in algae, not pneumatophore-bearing trees.