Coastal Plants. Introduction. New Zealand is a very narrow country, surrounded by water. Coastal area makes up over 7,000 kilometers of our land. The plants that inhabit the coasts of New Zealand live very harsh lives. There are many extreme elements of nature coastal plants have to face in order to survive. Over millions of years these plants have developed highly successful defence systems and adaptations in order to overcome problems coastal living entitles. Some of …showed first 75 words of 1887 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1887 total…to develop highly successful defence adaptations against the New Zealand conditions. The coast of New Zealand is considered very problematic and many elements combine to create very hard living. The trees that still survive today have developed successful adaptations all unique in their ways they combat these elements. Coastal trees are perfect examples of how evolution works, and the theory of survival of the fittest. These plants still survive today because of their successful adaptations.