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Intertidal Ecology

Discover the intricate ecosystem of the intertidal zone, from rocky to soft intertidal areas. Learn about vertical zonation, exposure challenges, temperature adaptations, dealing with wave action, and ecological succession. Uncover the importance of grain size and feeding strategies in this dynamic coastal habitat.

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Intertidal Ecology

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  1. Intertidal Ecology

  2. What is the Intertidal Zone? • Zone between highest and lowest tide lines • Immersed and Emersed • Rocky and soft intertidal zones

  3. Review: Tides • What causes tidal movements? • What does it mean to be: • Diurnal • Semidiurnal • Mixed • How do tidal movements vary by area?

  4. Pattern: Vertical Zonation

  5. Processes: What causes the pattern? • Upper limit determined by physical factors • Exposure • Wave shock • Lower limit determined by biological factors • Competition • Predation • Recruitment • Varies by location and often not totally clear cut

  6. Exposure • Problems due to emersion: • Physical: • Dessication • Temperature and salinity fluctuation • O2 availability • UV radiation • Wave shock • Biological: • Feeding restrictions • Inability to hide from predators

  7. Dessication • Water loss to the air • Strategies: • “Run and Hide” - crevices, tide pools, moist algae, subtidal, burrowing (soft only) • “Clam up” - protective cover seals in moisture (mussels, periwinkles, barnacles) • Allow drying out - massive water loss until next tide (seaweed, limpets)

  8. Temperature Variation • Air vs. Water • Adaptations: • Higher tolerance • Seek shade and moisture • Morphology • Clumping (ex. Mussels)

  9. Other Issues • Salinity variation due to rain, evaporation • Respiration • Gills reduced and/or protected to reduce drying • Organisms slow down metabolism • Feeding • Active when tide is high (reduces risk of exposure)

  10. Wave Action • Varies based on shoreline • F=ma (Where does the force go?) • Wave shock and shearing

  11. Dealing with Wave Action • Shelter • Permanent anchorage • Holding on • Morphology • Compact and streamlined • Hardened bodies • Flexibility

  12. Competition - The Battle for Space • Open space quickly colonized • Strategies: • Fast dispersal and settlement • Evict competitors • Grow on or over competitors

  13. Connell experiment • Very little difference at settlement • Chthamalus range reduced by competition • Transplant/Exclusion experiment results: • Balanus high = dies • Chthamalus low = thrives

  14. Eating and Not Being Eaten

  15. How are limits set?

  16. How are limits set?

  17. Rocky Upper Intertidal • “Splash zone” • Lichens, cyanobacteria, and some algae • Periwinkles and limpets • Terrestrial predators

  18. Rocky Mid-Intertidal • Upper areas - gray and rock barnacles • Lower limit set by competition and predation • Lower areas - mussels and brown algae • Lower limit set by predation from sea stars and spiny lobsters

  19. Ecological Succession

  20. Ecological Succession

  21. Rocky Lower Intertidal • Mostly immersed • Dominated by seaweeds • Food for grazers, protection from predators • Compete with each other • Sea urchins, stars, anemones, nudibranchs, fishes

  22. Soft-Bottom Intertidal • Sediment accumulation • Unstable bottom - what kinds of organisms cannot live here? • Sediment composition based on wave mixing • Gravel, sand, mud

  23. Importance of Grain Size • Burrowing (Infauna) or living between grains (Meiofauna) • Water circulation • Less dessication • Needed for O2 (no photosynth) • Amount and type of detritus (coarser has less) • Dual problem with mud: Less water + more detritus to decay = less O2

  24. Feeding

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