By: Silvio MartinezPeriod 5

Diagrams

They are areas between high tide and low tide zones found along coasts, like the previous pictures show.

Many intertidal zones can be found along the eastern coast of Australia and the Pacific Grove next to California.

Low Intertidal Zone (deepest)- mostly underwater; the most diverse; has many marine plants like seaweed; animals thrive here because there are large plants and have good protection from predators since it’s pretty shallow

Middle Zone (middle)- also underwater a lot; diverse; extreme wave action; also has many marine plants; rock pools (provide small habitats for sea stars, crabs, urchins, etc.)

High Zone (highest)- only underwater during high tides; a lot of salinity, temperature change, and less water, therefore little vegetation and less diversity; rock pools (small animals like anemones, barnacles, snails, and many hermit crabs)

Animals can include sea stars, crabs, sea urchins, barnacles, sponges, and snails and worms.

Plant life can include anemones and seaweed.

Kelp and green algae also grow here.

Small tide pools formed in middle and high tidal zones can form unique, micro-ecosystems.

Animals living here must adapt quickly to the changes in salinity, temperature, pH, etc., and perform complex interactions to stay alive in the mini habitats.

Kelp and algae are not plants or animals, but classified in their own group as Protista.

In case you didn’t know, sponges are animals.

http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/intertidal.html

http://www.oceanlink.info/biodiversity/intertidal/intertidal.html

http://kurrawa.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/publications/reef_research/issue1_98/1dugong.html

http://www.mtycounty.com/mbs_pgs/RockySh.html