The Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico - 1430 Words

When you think of the Gulf of Mexico the first thing you don’t think of is coral reefs. You don’t even think of it as place to go surfing. If you ask a surfer what a reef is, they would probably say something that gets in my way while surfing. Reefs being either large or small, have grown for over thousands of years. The build-up of limestone or calcite have given way to magnificent structures that many marine animals call home (Science). Reefs are communities in the ocean where more than hundreds of different ocean species live (Moran). These reefs in the ocean become a community that live alongside each other which allows them to grow. Whether the reef is a place to live, find shelter or a place eat, the reefs of the Gulf of Mexico†¦show more content†¦Trawlers and fishing boats with large nets will skim the ocean bottom breaking up these coral and destroying them (F. Moretzsohn). The salt domes found here in the Gulf of Mexico are thought to be ten –fifteen thousand years old, which are the underlying structure of the East and West Flower Gardens. These reefs are similar to Caribbean reefs in that the fast growth rate of the hermatypic corals. Also like other reefs, rays, sharks, sea turtles and over 300 different invertebrates inhabit the reefs here in the Gulf of Mexico. Boulder star coral and brain coral are two main types of coral. The current from the south brings warm Caribbean water that moves through the gulf loop. It can move as far inland as Louisiana or parts of the loop break away to form eddies that bring animal larvae, plant spores that count for many of the Caribbean species found in the Gulf (Service, flowergarden.noaa.gov/about/natrualsetting.htm;#domes). Since the water temperature does cool during the winter month’s hermatypic coral do not survive close to the coastline in the Gulf of Mexico. The sandy ocean bottom is what impedes coral from growing in this ocean water as well. However, there are formations that have occurred that the coral have discovered. Salt Domes hundreds of year’s old and man-made structures from oil rigs and drilling platforms are artificial type reefs that help the coral sustain life in these waters. These corals make up the East and West Flower GardenShow MoreRelatedThe Gulf Of Mexico And America1170 Words   |  5 PagesThe Gulf of Mexico is a partially locked body of water surrounded by the North American continent (Gulf of Mexico, 2000). The gulf links five southern U.S states: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas and six Mexican states: Tamaulipas, Vera Cruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatà ¡n, and Quintana Roo (Gulf of Mexico Facts, 2015). The gulf surrounds Cuba and connects t o the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf of Mexico may just seem like another body of water, but that is far from the truth. 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