Acting Locally

Acting Locally Paper

BIO/280

February 1, 2016

Acting Locally Paper

An Ecosystem is described as a group of interacting organisms (usually called a community) and the physical environment they inhabit at a given point in time. The Ecosystem along the coast of Corpus Christi Texas has changed dramatically over the last 100 years. What was once a dry and deserted area is now full of grass, roads, and mansions. As we venture down towards the gulf or Corpus Christi Bay you will find that it is surrounded mainly by farm land, the city of Corpus Christi and Ingleside which support commercial shipping. The area houses more than 490 species of birds and 234 species of fish.

Usually in South Texas the amount of seaweed that is found in the bay and on the shore over takes the entire beach. It makes it difficult for tourists to vacation during the spring break time and for the residents, although somewhat used to it, tend to dread this smelly time of year. If you live along the coast you can’t help but smell it while standing in your front yard. In 2015 the seaweed population decreased from what frequent residents were used to. Seaweed is an important staple in the Gulf and is utilized by many other plants and animals. The city does try to maintain the beaches and keep as much of the seaweed cleaned up as possible, but it is important for the wild life such as the turtles that inhabit the beach who use the seaweed to cover their eggs in their nests. (Cole, 2015) It is amazing how important seaweed is to balancing the life of the Gulf.

An endangered species can be defined as any species of fish, animal, or plant that is in immediate danger of becoming extinct and needs protection to survive. The Gulf has many endangered species. The American Fisheries Society officially identified 11 of the Gulf’s 15 managed grouper species as “vulnerable to risk of extinction”. The National Marine Fisheries Service has identified red grouper as one species that has become...