 Mammals
 Invertebrates
 Dolphins
 Shellfish
 Whales
 Shrimp
 Manatees
 Snails
 Reptiles
 Corals
 Sea turtles
 Jellyfish
 Alligators
 Worms
 Fish
 Others
 Sharks
 Marine algae
 Many others
 Plants
 North Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
 Sea Turtles
 Sharks
 Marine Mammals
 Brown Pelican
 Oysters
 Shrimp and Blue Crab
 Menhaden and marsh dwelling fish
 Beach Nesting and Migratory Shorebirds
 Migratory Songbirds
 Coral’s Adaptation to Environment
 Survive in dark depths
 Home to 2000 year old corals
 Receptive to activities on ocean’s surface
 Nutrition is organic matter
 Ecosystem interruption needs years to centuries to restore
(i.e., petroleum exploration and commercial fishing)
 Coral’s Future Adaptations
 Adjustment to global warming
 Increased oil pollution
 Corals as predator
 Corals get nutrients passively from plankton
 Corals get food from microscopic algae that live in their
tissue
 Corals as Prey
 Fish, such as parrotfish, tangs, butterfly fish
 Sea snails and slugs
 Marine worms, barnacles, crabs
 Sea stars
 Powerful waves from hurricanes and cyclones can damage
corals
 Long periods of low tides leave corals exposed
 Open to ultraviolet radiation
 Corals throw the algae out that inhabit their tissue
(symbiotic zooxanthellae), which causes bleaching, which
removes necessary nutrients and eventually death of the
coral
 Currents can carry pollution to coral
 Plastic and garbage wrap around and smothers coral
 Chemicals and sediments can cause variation in water,
causing rapid growth of algae, which smother coral
 A Mediterranean-type Sea
 Bordered by
 United States of America to the North
 Mexico by the West
 Cuba to the Southeast
 A Circular Basin Structure
 about 1,500 km in diameter
 Water Enters The Gulf Through
 Yucatan Strait
 Circulates through what is called a loop current
 Exits the Gulf through the Florida Strait
 Drainage Into The Gulf
 Assisted by 20 major river systems
 Covers over 3.8 million sq. km of the Continental U.S.

Freeman, M. (2012). MacGillivray Freeman’s Coral Reef Adventure. Retrieved 17 June 2012 from
http://www.coralfilm.com/faq.html

Kennedy, J. (n.d.). Marine Life in the Gulf of Mexico: Gulf of Mexico Marine Animals and
Plants. Retrieved 18 June 2012 from
http://marinelife.about.com/od/habitatprofiles/tp/GulfofMexicoMarineLife.htm

NOAA (2012). NOAA Ocean Service Education: Corals. Retrieved 17 June 2012 from
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral09_humanthreats.html

Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network (2011). The Gulf of Mexico's Marine Mammals. Retrieved
18 June 2012 from http://www.sci.tamucc.edu/tmmsn/29Species/marine.html

General Facts About the Gulf of Mexico. (1992). Retrieved from http://www.gulfbase.org/facts.php