The Central Southwest & Gulf Coast Region has incredibly diverse habitats, climate and geography, making up a wide range of Ecosystems that occur within the region. Choose from Gulf of Mexico, Bays and Estuaries, River Systems, Wetlands, Central Plains, Arid Lands or Urban Areas to start exploring and learning about the different areas of the CSWGCIN Region.
Southwestern Ringstem (Anulocaulis leiosolenus var. lasianthus) [Photo:Big Bend Sensitive Plant Project]
Arid Lands - The desert regions in CSWGCIN can produce some of the most vivid contrasts in nature. Desert climates lead to wildlife and plants adapted to the harsh reality of limited resources. Plants in Big Bend lend color in vibrant flashes to the desert tones of the Park.
Galveston Bay Satellite Image [Photo:NASA Johnson Space Center]
Bays and Estuaries - The bays and estuaries that make up the nearshore environs of the Gulf of Mexico are teeming with life and biodiversity. Comprised of tidal, subtidal, and freshwater wetland habitats, the nearshore environment supports diverse and dynamic communities of organisms in a temperate to tropical climate.
Texas Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) [Photo:Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center]
Central Plains - The Central Plains represent a slightly more temperate climate, resulting in different types of ecosystems than some of the other Gulf Coast areas. Ecosystem studies by CSWGCIN look at both threatened and endangered species as well as the invasive species that are themselves threatening the biodiversity of the area.
Gulf of Mexico - The Gulf of Mexico is an incredibly diverse ecosystem. The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world and its fisheries (shrimp, oysters and finfish) are some of the most productive. Gulf habitats include coastal wetlands, mangrove forests, submerged aquatic vegetation, upland, and marine/offshore areas.
False Turkey Tail [Photo:ATBI]
Piney Woods - The Piney Woods have densely jungled riparian areas and sandy soils that are unfit for most agriculture. There are thousands of acres of loblolly and shortleaf pine as well as some hardwoods. Birds such as the bald eagle or rare species such as the red-cockaded woodpecker can be seen here.
Rio Grande [Photo:Texas Commission on Environmental Quality]
River Systems - The Rio Grande flows 1,760 miles from its sources in the southern Rocky Mountains of southwestern Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico and marking the entire border between Texas and Mexico. It is the fifth longest river of North America and the 20th longest in the world. The principal tributaries of the Rio Grande are the Pecos, Devils, Chama, and Puerco rivers in the United States and the Conchos, Salado, and San Juan in Mexico.
Houston Skyline [Photo:Texas Department of Transportation]
Urban Areas - Areas with large population centers have impacts on air and water quality, species abundance, spread of invasive species and other anthropogenic effects. In the CSWGCIN area, there are several major Urban Areas, such as Houston, San Antonio and Dallas Ft. Worth in Texas, New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana, Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma and Little Rock in Arkansas.
Galveston Bay marsh and open bay [Photo: Galveston Bay Estuary Program]
Wetlands - Coastal wetlands, swamps, salt marshes, bogs; the CSWGCIN region has a large number of wetland acres. Wetlands are highly fragile ecosystems, that provide services of great value to society. They control floods, protect coastal zones, and host a great diversity of species.
Roseate Spoonbill Spotlight
Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife
Roseate Spoonbill Ajaia ajaja
Description:Roseate Spoonbills are found mostly in Florida and coastal Texas. They have a wingspan of 50 - 53 inches, a length of 30 - 34 inches and weigh about 3.3 pounds. Roseate Spoonbills are a brilliant pink bird with blood-red "drip" on the shoulders. The Roseate Spoonbill has a white neck and back, with an orange tail and eyes that are ruby red or scarlet; the naked head is pale green to golden buff at pairing. They have a straight bill with broad spatulate tip.
Habitat:The Roseate Spoonbill is common in marshes, tidal ponds, sloughs and mangrove swamps along the Gulf Coast. The Roseate Spoonbill may feed in shallow brackish or salt water and occasionally fresh water by swinging their unusual bills in long arcs from side to side. The Roseate Spoonbill feeds alone or in small groups, and is frequently seen in company of other wading birds.
Distribution:The Roseate Spoonbill is found in Coastal Texas, southwest Louisiana, southern Florida; Cuba and Isle of Pines; Hispaniola; Great Inagua in south Bahamas. South locally in coastal Mexico from north Sinaloa through Middle America to Panama, and in Colombia, Venezuela and Guianas, east of the Andes through east Ecuador, east Peru, Bolivia and Brazil to Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina to Cordoba and Buenos Aires; west of Andes in west Ecuador.
The NBII Program is administered by the Biological Informatics Office of the U.S. Geological Survey
