DESCRIBE MARINE PLANT PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
1. Identify adaptations of marine plants.
2. Describe the habitats of marine plants.
3. List benefits of marine plants to the oceans
and marine life.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Roots
Stems
Leaves
Flowers
Seeds
Describe some benefits to the marine environment
and marine organisms by marine plants?
BENEFITS
Oxygen
Food
Habitat
Stabilize land/beach with roots
Lessen storm impact/protect land
DESCRIBE SOME COMMON FEATURES
AMONG MARINE PLANTS?
 They have leaves for photosynthesis, roots for
absorbing water/ anchor and stems for transport. True
plants have stems, roots and leaves. They are called
vascular plants. MARINE PLANTS have many
ADAPTATIONS allowing them to survive in ocean and
coastal environments. Vascular plants are classified in
kingdom plantae and phylum tracheophyta.
 PLEASE GUESS THE AIM????????
AIM: HOW ARE MARINE PLANTS
ADAPTED TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT?
How can we describe the structure/function
relationship in marine plants?
MARINE PLANT STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE
LEAF
ROOT
STEM
 1. leaf
 2. stem
 3. root
 4. flower
FLOWER  5. xylem
XYLEM
PHLOEM
 6. phloem
 7. stamen/anther
 8. pistil/style/egg
STAMEN/ANTHER/POLLEN
PISTIL/STYLE/EGG
MARINE PLANT FUNCTION
STRUCTURE FUNCTION MARINE PLANT
structure
function
 1. leaf
 1. photosynthesis
 2. stem
 2. structure and transport
 3.root
 3. absorb water and anchor
 4. flower
 4. reproduction
 5. xylem
 5.Transport water up within stem
 6. phloem
 6. Transport sugar down w/i stem
 7. stamen/anther/pollen
 7. produce pollen/ male parts
 8. pistil/style/egg
 8. female reproductive parts
MARINE PLANTS
MARINE PLANT CHARACTERISTICS AND
HABITAT ACTIVITY
 1. Each group will be assigned a marine plant and given a
worksheet.
 2. Research the plants scientific name
 3. Research the plants identifiable characteristics
 4. Research the plants habitat
 5. Cut out and tape or staple a picture of the plant in
your notes
COMMON NAME
Beach grass
Prickly pear cactus
Seaside goldenrod
Reed grass
Cordgrass
Eel grass
Turtle grass
Mangrove tree
GENUS NAME
ADAPTATIONS
HABITAT
COMMON NAME
GENUS NAME
ADAPTATIONS
HABITAT
Beach grass
Ammophilia
Long, deep
underground roots
Upper beach
Prickly pear cactus
Opuntia
Thick, waxy covering
Upper beach
to minimize water loss.
spines
Seaside goldenrod
Solidago
Stores water in stems
Reed grass
Phragmites
Fluffy brown tassels for Upper beach
reproduction
Cordgrass
Spartina
Salt gland to excrete
excess salt
Intertidal zone
Eel grass
Zostera
Salt gland,
stabilitygrow close
together for s
Subtidal zone
Turtle grass
Thallassia
Interconnected roots
called rhizomes for
stability
Subtidal zone
Mangrove tree
Rhizophora
prop roots to anchor
Intertidal zone
Upper beach
REPRODUCTION/NUTRITION
How do marine plants reproduce?
How do marine plants get nutrition?
REPRODUCTION/NUTRITION
Plants reproduce
asexually with
spores or cuttings
Wind, animals,
water, insects and
birds help disperse
pollen and seeds
sexually
photosynthesis
MARINE PLANT SUMMARY
Marine plants are vascular and possess a
variety of adaptations in their roots, stems
and leaves. These adaptations allow them
to live in diverse coastal habitats from the
subtidal to the supratidal zones. They
provide oxygen, shelter and food for
marine life.
MARINE PLANT EXIT QUIZ
1. True or false, correct for full credit
Marine plants are non-vascular and heterotrophs.
2. Explain in detail how marine plants reproduce sexually and asexually.
3. I store water in my stems and live on the upper beach. My real name
is Solidago.
A. prickly pear cactus B. eel grass C. seaside goldenrod D. turtle
grass
4. I have rhizomes-interconnected underground stems
A. Ammophilia B. Thalassia C. Zostera D. Opuntia
5. Beach grass or Ammophilia is classified in phylum ____________ and
kingdom________________.