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Introduction to the Barrier Island Ecology of the Texas Coast

Introduction to the Barrier Island Ecology of the Texas Coast. located on the northeast corner of Mustang Island facilities include: classrooms, library, research laboratories, and two large research vessels. The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute.

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Introduction to the Barrier Island Ecology of the Texas Coast

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  1. Introduction to the Barrier Island Ecology of the Texas Coast

  2. located on the northeast corner of Mustang Island facilities include: classrooms, library, research laboratories, and two large research vessels The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute

  3. Marine Education Visitor’s Center

  4. RV Katy

  5. What is Marine Biology? • ...the study of the function and ecology of marine life. • how organisms carry out their basic functions • interaction of organisms and their physical and biotic environment

  6. Ecology is studied at many interacting hierarchical levels. • Biosphere • Ecosystem • Community • Population • Individual

  7. Physiography and Geology • young, dynamic system of barrier islands • shaped by prevailing southeasterly winds • mostly 20-50 ft above sea level • Padre is the longest barrier island in North America at 113 miles

  8. General Features • Habitats on the outer side barrier islands: • wave action • salinity • temperature

  9. Major Divisions of Marine Habitats

  10. Habitats Include: • sand-shell beaches • fore island dunes • stabilized dunes • vegetated barrier flat • wind-tidal flat • lagoon grass flat • Laguna Madre- separates Padre from the Texas mainland

  11. More Habitats & Communities • Jetties & Groins • Sandy Beaches • Flotsam & Jetsam • Offshore Bottoms • Bay Shore: Mudflats • Oyster Reefs • Plankton & Nekton

  12. Sandy Beach with Sargassum

  13. Jetties & Groins • the northwestern gulf coast’s only rocky intertidal habitats • crevice habitats • splash zone

  14. Jetty

  15. Groin

  16. Sea Wall

  17. Breakwater

  18. Other Jetty Inhabitants • Rock Louse • Hermit Crab • Sea Urchins

  19. Spartina

  20. Sandy Beaches • abrasive sand • alternating periods of dry and wet • pounding waves

  21. Result: most animals that cannot swim well or crawl fast burrow into the sand.

  22. Sandy Beach and Near-Shore Inhabitants • tube-building worms • sand dollars • Calico Crab, Hepatus • Purse Crab, Persephona • Spider Crab, Libinia

  23. Tube Dwellers

  24. Flotsam and Jetsam • Organisms are carried ashore from deeper waters offshore.

  25. Offshore Bottoms • depth up to 200m • commercial shrimping • sediments and shell fragments provide habitat

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