The Gulf of Mexico is the 9th largest body of water in the earth and comprises roughly 600,000 substantial miles , according to the Environmental Protection Agency . The Gulf is home to thousands of aquatic flora and creature that inhabit its saltwater marsh , coral reefs , tide pool and recondite water . Saltwater plants are highly significant to the Gulf ’s finespun ecosystem , providing protection and food to countless animals .
Step 1
This common Gulf plant inhabitssaltwater marshesin the region , particularly those establish in the Florida Everglades . Smooth cord grass ( Spartina alterniflora ) grows in clusters between 3 and 33 feet wide and extend to heights between 6 inches and 7 pes . This still grass is greenish throughout the spring and summer and becomes lightheaded brown during the fall and wintertime . Smooth cord grass is particularly important as a protector against erosion in tidal areas . The plant life also provides shelter for small fish and crustaceans in the Gulf area .
Needlerush
consort to the University of Florida IFAS Extension , needlerush ( Juncus roemerianus ) " represent the largest vegetative zone and the volume of the biomass in most common salt marshes on the northeasterly Gulf Coast . " This grayish green grass features sharp fore that can maturate to be 5 foot fall . Needlerush grows by rhizomes and bring forth little flowers at the hint of its branches . Needlerush maturate solely in low - lying tidal areas but can populate areas up to several mi wide . Many coastal organism depend on needlerush for shelter .
Step 2
Codium Repens
Codium repens is a typical spongy seaweed that grows in deep pool near rocky coastline throughout the Gulf of Mexico . This green alga often work dense underwater meadows home to M of aquatic animal species like crabs and bottom - feed in fish . Many Gulf species , sea sluggard for example , also feed on codium repens . Codium repens is Olea europaea green and case-by-case plants can develop to be about a foot long .
Sea Grapes
ocean grapes ( Caulerpa racemosa ) are another mutual saltwater plant mintage base in the Gulf , particularly in deep sea banks like the McGrail Bank and Bright Bank . This plant grows at depths near the surface to over 300 metrical foot deep . It apply rhizomes to grow along the ocean level and has leg up to 11 column inch long . Sea grapes also produce diminished , comestible grapelike body that have a peppery savour .
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