Sumario: | Written for biology students, teachers, nature lovers, amateur naturalists, conservation workers, and parks and wildlife personnel, this guide describes the marine plants of the Gulf of Mexico coast. The author's photographs accompany the updated identification keys, which are visually oriented and simple to use. The author, a veteran botanist and educator, describes the plants in four major sections, covering the common shoreline plants, seagrasses, mangroves, and marine algae (red, brown, and green seaweeds). Each section begins with an introduction that gives an overview of the plant group and includes information on the important traits and terminology used for identification. A simple key to the family or order directs the reader to the appropriate section, where the text is arranged alphabetically by family and then by genus and species. Each genus is illustrated by photographs that include a close-up of each plant and images of its reproductive structures. As coastal issues, such as hurricane preparedness, beach erosion, wetland mitigation, and freshwater inflows remain in the forefront of public concern, this botanical reference will be of use to scientists, policy makers, and citizens alike.
|