Ecosystem (Rocky Shore)

Rockypool

Rocky Shore habitat

Zonation

Upper Shore

Periwinkle algae

Middle Shore

BarnacleStalked

barnacle

Chiton

Lower Shore

Brown AlgaeSea Anemones

Sea urchin

Goby fish

Physical Factors

Tidal movement

Wave Action

Substrate

Formation of tide

Tidal movement Desiccation Difficulty in gas exchange (gill) High temperature Salinity fluctuation (river, rain,

rock pool) Illumination

Rock pool

Time

Tide in

Tideout

Temperature

salinity

Wave Action

Wind speed and direction Slope of shore or whether sheltered

Effect Buffeting action (tearing ) Washing away Sprays water to upper tide

Substrate

Soft substratum as muddy and sandy shore

Hard surface for attaching Crack for shelter

Adaptation

Against desiccation, wave and salinity Retreat to sheltered areas Protective cover Internal gill Strong adhesive power (byssus threads, muscular f

ood) Flattened body Red pigment in algae for deep water illumination

Cone shaped limpets

Up shore

Green algae

Low shore

Brown algae

Shell, muscular food

Inter-relationship in organisms

Predation Competition Commensalism Mutualism Parasitism

Food Web

. 1 = Detritus, 2 = plankton, 3 = benthic algae, 4 = acorn barnacles, 5 = Mytilus edulis (mussels), 6 = Pollicieps, 7= chitons, 8 = limpets, 9 = Tegula, 10 = Littorina, 11 = Thais, 12 = Pisaster, 13 = Leptasterias. (Diagram from Begon, Harper et al 1990)

Other predator

Related web site

Rocky Shore — Plants and Animals  http://www.tip.net.au/~sef/amanda/rsdeszon.htm

Intertidal Habitat: Rocky Shores http://darter.ocps.k12.fl.us/classroom/klenk/Rocky.htm

  Intertidal Organisms

http://redbaron.bishops.ntc.nf.ca/wells/fieldtrp/survey.htm   Intertidal Zone: Rocky — California coast

http://www.branson.org/www.branson.org/depts/science/marbio/Intertidal_Intro.html

Marine biologist