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The number of different species of ocean plants is understandably much smaller than is the number and variety of plants and plant life found on dry land. The primary reason for this is that plant life, whether it exists in the ocean or on land, needs sunlight to survive. Sunlight can only penetrate so far in salt water, so most of the ocean is much too deep to support plant life, with the exception of plant life that does not need to be rooted to the ocean floor, but is able to freely float on or near the surface.

Plants
The number of different species of ocean plants is understandably much smaller than is the number and variety of plants and plant life found on dry land. The primary reason for this is that plant life, whether it exists in the ocean or on land, needs sunlight to survive. Sunlight can only penetrate so far in salt water, so most of the ocean is much too deep to support plant life, with the exception of plant life that does not need to be rooted to the ocean floor, but is able to freely float on or near the surface.
Size Ocean plants vary in size from microscopic phytoplankton to very large-size seaweed. Many ocean plants are without ancors or roots and they grow as they drift on the ocean currents. There are thousands of species of plants throughout the ocean
There are three main plants that live in the ocean: Kelp, Coral, and Seaweed Kelp Kelp grows along rocky coast lines in depths of 18-90ft.Kelp is basically algae, which holds on to the rocks on the coasts with their root-like structures called hold fasts. These hold fasts are like long streamers which grow up toward the surface of the water, with gas bladders on each leaf to keep the plant upright.
Coral Coral needs to be in warm temperatures from 68-82 degrees Fahrenheit, that is why it needs to be by the surface of the water so it will be by the sun. Coral is not just a plant, it is also a home for the fish that are around it. Coral is protection for the fish. But fish are losing their homes because coral is in danger. It is in danger because of human activity. Another threat to coral is how the temperatures of the oceans are changing all the time. Seaweed
Seaweeds can be slimy, hard, delicious (although some are poisonous and can make you very sick), have rainbow colours or have weird names like dead man's fingers and cactus weed. There are probably thousands of different species throughout the world's oceans but they are all simple plants with no root systems or flowers. Because they don't have roots they need a firm surface, such as a rock, to grow on.