Oceans Alissa Carroll-3 April 24, 2001

Vegetation Submerged aquatic vegetation provides habitat and forage for waterfowl and fish. It also supplies effective protection against storms and helps the water quality in seawater ecosystems.

Food Chains Most of the food that offshore animals eat comes from either organic matter which is carried into the gulf by rivers or from the tiny plants and animals which grow near the surface and slowly sink to the bottom.

More Info on Food Chains Worms and other deposit-feeders swallow the mud on the bottom, digest the food in it and expel the rest. Filter- feeding tube worms sift food out of the water. Flesh eating fish and crabs hunt for live food or clean up scraps the others leave behind.

What’s Hiding in the Mud? Mud flats may appear barren and empty when the tide is out, but that layer of smelly, black mud conceals a whole community of worms, clams, and shrimp.

Who’s Eating What? Long -billed shorebirds feed on the wiggly and squirmy community that lives in the mud during low tide. As the tide rises, hungry fish, snails and crabs join the feast.

More About Vegetation… Turtle Grass Widgeon Grass Shoal Grass Manatee Grass In the calm shallow water of coastal bays, sea grasses grow:

How Important are the Sea Grasses? The grasses are very important habitats for snails, small fish and young fish. Migratory waterfowl find plenty of food living in the grasses.

Home Sweet Home Texas bays and gulf waters are home to thousands of fish, shellfish, birds, and other animals all of which depend on the coast’s diverse habitats for their food and their shelter.

There’s No Place to Hide! The open gulf waters aren’t great shelter but it’s not a problem for some big fish who aren't afraid of becoming another fish’s prey. These include: Great Hammerhead Lemon Bull

Camouflage Fish Smaller fish like bluefish and tarpon blend into the background to avoid being eaten. From above their dark backs match the sea floor. From below, their pale stomach fades into the light from the surface.

Salt Barrens... Salt barrens form just beyond the reach of the highest high tides. Only occasional storm- driven high tides flood the salt barren. Salts accumulate here because there is not enough flushing to wash the salts away.

Characteristics of Topography Features of the gulf Coast Region: Nearly level slowly drained plain Streams and rivers flowing into the gulf Barrier islands along the coast Salt grass marshes Bays and estuaries Remnant tall grass prairies Oak parklands and oak motes Tall woodlands in the river bottom lands

Abiotic SandSand SunSun RocksRocks WaterWater ShellsShells SoilSoil

Food Chain for a Whooping Crane

Barrier Islands Long sandy islands from the seaward boundary of coastal bays separate the bays from the gulf. The islands protect the gulf from the most severe effects of waves and currents.

Adaptations Plants and animals on barrier islands must be able to cope with the environment’s constant changes.

And the Weather Report is... Weather varies in the Gulf of Mexico, but there is usually plenty of heat and plenty of sun. The most damaging problem is the yearly threat of hurricanes.

Whooping Crane The Whooping Crane is endangered because much of their wetland habitat has been drained for farmland and pasture. The Whooping Crane is nearly five feet tall.

The Shore Animals The Coyote is an extremely intelligent animal with keen senses of hearing, sight and smell. There are many different types of crabs in the Gulf of Mexico.

Biotic things in the Gulf of Mexico Texas Prairie Dawn Cusk Eel JackfishJackfish Pig Fish

Rain Fall in the Cities

Texas Horned Lizard

Atlantic Horseshoe Crab

A Crab’s Food Chain

East Texas Alligator