Nilgai across marshland
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Habitat For
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The Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes consist of a nearly level and slowly drained plain of grassland prairie, salt flats, and cordgrass marshes intermixed with occasional mesquite and acacia. Barrier islands protect the coastline from high winds and the constant buffeting of harsh waves from the Gulf of Mexico. Highly productive estuaries and marshes are critical nursery habitat for the finfish and shellfish that support a thriving fishing economy along the Gulf Coast. This rich habitat serves as a breeding ground for most of the shrimp caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Coastal marshes provide habitat for wintering ducks and geese while providing critical landfall in the spring for Neotropical migratory birds. Many plants are highly salt tolerant (halophytic) due to their close proximity to the Laguna Madre. The Laguna Madre is one of three hypersaline (1.5 to 3 times more salty than normal sea water) lagoon systems in the world and the only hypersaline lagoon on the North American continent. |