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Plants by the Ocean Shore

Plants along the ocean shore must tolerate changing environmental conditions. They may be submerged in salty ocean water or at least exposed to saltwater spray. They must withstand constant ocean winds and storm surges. There exist several types of shoreline habitats, and each one supports a different group of plants. These habitats include sandy beaches, salt marshes, tidal flats, rocky shores and coastal cliffs. The water surrounding them may be salt, brackish or freshwater.

The Dune Region
- Plants have a better chance of surviving the further they are from the ocean's shoreline.
  
  With abundant sand and accommodating winds and ocean currents, sand dunes will develop along the ocean shore. The area will have a front or primary dune along the ocean and a series of back dunes stretching inland. Between the dune ridges is the inter-dune region. Plants along the front dune must be tolerant to high salt, constant winds and shifting sands. The further back from the ocean one gets, the less salt tolerance plants require. Some examples of plants along the front dunes are American beachgrass, sea oats, purple sand grass and seaside goldenrod. Plants growing on the back dunes and inter-dunes include bayberry, American holly and various pine species such as eastern red cedar.
Mangrove Trees
- Mangrove trees are found along the edge of oceans, especially in Florida.
  
  Mangrove trees grow along tropical ocean shorelines. They have adapted to wet, salty conditions. According to the "Nature of Plants," there are 16 families and 54 species of mangrove trees. These trees do not grow tall but are more like shrubs. Their habitat is the mudflats, and their roots spend at least a portion of each day under water due to tides. Mangroves have adapted by developing "breathing roots" that grow above the ground and water line. Mangroves store the excess salt in older leaves and bark. Some species of mangroves have glands in their leaves that excrete salt. Common types of mangroves along the Florida coastline are black, red and white.
Salt Marshes and Estuaries
- Grasses of the salt marshes and estuaries provide habitat for juvenile fish and birds.
  
  Salt marshes and estuaries exist in low-lying areas along the ocean. Their grasses produce abundant food for animals, making these areas good nurseries for fish populations and birds. The water is brackish, a mixture of salt and freshwater. Marsh plants have a high tolerance for salt and flooding. Cordgrasses are a common plant found in marshes and estuaries. They are also known by their genus, Spartina. Other common plants include the bulrushes, narrow-leafed and broad-leafed cattails, seaside arrow-grass and saltmarsh sand spurrey.
Water Plants
- Kelp grow as tall as 98 feet and exist in shallow and deep water.
  
  In addition to land and inter-tidal plants, water plants grow along the ocean's shores. Many of these grasses grow in shallow water and help stabilize the ocean floor. They also provide habitat for fish and crustaceans. Kelp is a brown algae that belongs in the Protista kingdom rather than Plantae, but many people consider them plants. Other plants found in the water along ocean shores are eelgrass, turtle-grass, manatee-grass and Englemann's seagrass. Storm water runoff and industrial discharge can destroy a seagrass bed.

Nature