Name: ______________________________________
Marine Algae & Plants
AIM: Enough about algae, how about marine plants?
Beach Plants
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These plants are found in the upper beach of sandy beach.
High tides, heavy surf, and slat make it inhospitable for most
plant species.
Winds form dunes on the upper beach.
The roots of beach plants hold the dunes in place.
Ammophila is a type of beach grass has long underground
stems and deep roots that stabilize the dunes.
Beach grasses are widely spaced to reduce competition
among grasses.
Dunes are held in place by beach grasses…
More about the Upper Beach
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The upper beach resembles conditions found in a desert.
Some types of plants found in the upper beach are Opuntia
compressa (prickly pear cactus) and the seaside goldenrod.
Woody shrubs and trees such as the beach plum & pitch
pine are often found.
Trees don’t grow taller than the dunes because the dunes
shelter the trees from the drying effects of the salty ocean
winds… pretty cool huh?
Most beach plants are vascular (they have roots, stems, &
leaves) and also produce flowers and seeds.
Types of Marine Grasses
Reed grass
Common marsh grasses
1. Marsh grasses- grow along the sandy beaches of calm bays. Some marsh grasses are…
 Reed grass (Phragmites) have fluffy brown tassels.
 Cordgrass (Spartina) are found along the water’s edge.
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Spartina alterniflora grows in lower intertidal zone and can tolerate
changes in salinity & temperature. This type of cordgrass can
breakdown industrial pollutants into harmless gases and are important
for the survival of crabs & mussels.
Spartina patens is found in the upper intertidal zone where it gets
flooded only during very high tides.
Salicornia (a.k.a. Glasswort or pickle weed) grows in upper intertidal
zone from Massachusetts to the Gulf Coast.
2. Sea grasses- found in shallow subtidal zones along many shores.
 Eel grass (Zostera marina) are found along the cooler waters of the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts. The areas where the eel grass is found are protected. Provide shelter for mollusks,
arthropods, and fish.
 Turtle grass (Thalassia) have underground stems known as rhizomes that form interlocking
mats that stabilize the sandy seafloor. Fish and invertebrates use turtle grass for shelter
while turtles (hence the name turtle grass) eat the stuff.
 Reproduce with flowers that are underwater that produce seeds when fertilized by pollen.
Continued…
Mangrove Trees
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Mangrove trees- trees that are able to grow in saltwater.
Mangrove trees grow close together and form thick jungles
of vegetation called a mangrove swamp or community.
Common in the bays and inlets of Florida. During low tide
the prop roots are visible.
Types of mangrove trees include the red mangrove tree
(Rhizophora mangle), black mangroves, and white mangrove
trees.
The tangle of mangrove roots trap organic materials brought
in by the tides.
Mangroves, Marshes, & Wildlife
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Mangrove communities, like salt marshes are biologically productive areas. Mangroves are host
to a variety of organisms.
The mangrove roots trap useful materials and nutrients that serve for food for plankton and also
act as fertilizers for other plants.
The large amount of plant life provides food and shelter for many animals and is sometimes
considered the “nurseries” of the sea. Young fish and other little organisms survive by hiding in
the grasses or within the tangled mess of roots in mangrove swamps while larger animals cannot
pursue them.
Many birds and mammals also make their homes in North American mangrove communities such
as…
o Birds: rails, herons, egrets, & terns
o Mammals: Raccoons, muskrats, deer, & foxes.
o In South Asia, proboscis monkeys live exclusively in mangrove trees.
Mangrove communities (like many wetlands) are in jeopardy due to human
activities such as habitat destruction and pollution.