Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
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Figure 15-30.
Plant and animal inhabitants on the mainland of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. A. Spanish
dagger, palma pita (
Yucca treculeana
) and Texas prickly pear (
Opuntia engelmannii
) are indicative of the subtropical
scrub vegetation (Richardson 2002). Laguna Madre appears in the background. B. Texas gopher tortoise (
Gopherus
berlandieri
). The male (shown here) has a distinctive extension of the gular scutes (lower shell below the neck).
Mainly a herbivore, it feeds on succulent plants and cacti as well as insects and snails (Ferri 2002). Photos by J.S. Aber.
Figure 15-31.
Northward overview of South Padre Island, Texas. U.S. Coast Guard station (left center), Queen
Isabella Causeway, which connects to Port Isabel on the mainland (upper left), and central South Padre Island
(upper right). Kite airphoto by S.W. Aber and J.S. Aber.
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Figure 15-32.
Brazos Santiago Pass, Texas. A.Towboat cruises through the pass between southern Padre Island
(lower left) and Brazos Island (upper right). Large stone blocks protect the pass from erosion. Kite airphoto by S.W.
Aber and J.S. Aber. B. Offshore drilling rig is maneuvered through the pass by towboats. Photo by J.S. Aber.
