Garden Features

Marine Display

The Marine Display is housed in the basement of the Palm House and shows a series of natural marine habitats. The display emphasises the importance of marine plants, 99 per cent. of which are algae.

Algae are the most simple of plants found in aquatic or damp habitats and include all seaweeds. They provide 50 per cent. of the earth's oxygen and absorb considerable amounts of carbon dioxide. Simply put, without algae there would be no life on earth, the seas would be sterile, and the land uncolonised.

Various habitats are displayed in 19 different tanks, including:

• coral reefs, which are among the most unique, complex and productive habitats on earth;

• estuaries and salt marshes (where the river meets the sea): some of the most fertile and productive land is found with its own community of pioneer plants and unique fauna;

• mangrove swamps, the tropical equivalent of the salt marsh; and

• rocky shorelines, found at the base of cliffs around much of the British coastline. This area is one of the best habitats for highly productive populations of seaweeds found in distinct zones with other flora and fauna, and is highly dependent on the tidal regime present.

  The Marine Display is number 30 on the Visitor Map.