Western Gulf Coastal Grasslands – Lagunas Madre

 

The Western Gulf Coastal Grasslands ecoregion follows the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, from west of the Mississippi Delta (USA) to the south end of Laguna Madre in Tamaulipas, Mexico. It encompasses tallgrass coastal prairie, wetlands, including oxbow lakes (resacas), and barrier islands. The soils are a reddish sandy loam and clay. The climate is humid subtropical with average rainfall between 700 and 1,200 mm a year. Tropical storms and hurricanes are not uncommon. The Lagunas Madre are the largest hyper-saline coastal wetland in North America.

The tallgrass prairie is dominated by Texas Fluffgrass (Tridens texanus), Shortleaf Crabgrass (Digitaria hitchcockii), Purple Three-awn Grass (Aristida purpurea), Slim Fluffgrass (Tridens muticus), Purple Grama (Bouteloua radicosa), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), etc. Towards the Gulf Coast, it becomes intermixed with Gulf Cordgrass (Spartina spartinae), Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), and Zacatón grass (Sporobolus wrightii). Grasslands eventually blend into freshwater and intertidal marshes and estuaries. Shrubland, consisting of Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and other species, is found along the coast in south Texas and Tamaulipas.

This ecoregion provides an important stopover and winter habitat for many waterbirds, e.g., the endangered Whooping Crane (Grus americana). Up to 35% of the world’s population of Redhead (Aythya americana) winter in Laguna Madre. The last remaining Attwater’s prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri) are confined to this ecoregion. The Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), the most endangered sea turtle, nests along the coast, though mostly south of Laguna Madre. The area was once inhabited by the Red Wolf (Canis rufus).

Less than one percent of these coastal habitats remains in natural condition. The rest were modified or lost through conversion to agriculture, introduction of non-native grasses, urban and suburban development, fire suppression, etc. Important protected areas include the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Padre Island National Seashore, and Laguna Madre y Delta Río Bravo State Park.

 

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