Rocky Intertidal Zone

There are many different animals that visit the Rocky Intertidal Zones. A wide variety of   Vertebrates and in v ertebrate s visit or live here and because of this, I will go over the common phylums and then highlight three animals on three different trophic levels. In v ertebrate s Phylums Proferia (1) (2) This phylum is made up of sponges, the most basic of organisms.They lakc internal organs and nerves. There are over 5,000 living species divided into three categories - hexactinellda (glass sponges), demospongia, and calcarea (calcareous sponges). Ectoprocta (2) This phylum is comprised of small, clustering animals that live in rectangular or cylindrical boxes. They are called collectively called bryozoans and individually called zooids. They breed asexually and filter feed. Cnidaria (2) There are around 10,000 species in this phylum that includes jellyfish and anemones. They are somewhat more evolutionarily advanced - they have two cell layers, radial symmetry

There are many plants that inhabit the intertidal zone. seagrass, which are the only flowering plants submerged in the ocean, are abundant in the intertidal zone.include the following.  surf grasses  ( Phyllospadix spp. )   eelgrass ( Zostera marina ), Marine algae  Characteristics/about/general information  One thing that sets them apart from land plants is their lack of true roots, stems, leaves and flowers.  Most have a holdfast (the marine algae equivalent of roots), a blade/blades (the equivalent of leaves), and a stipe (which resembles the trunk of a tree or stems of other plants).  Some have gas filled bladders - scientifically called  pneumatocysts  - that allow the blades to float close to the surface. This allows maximum exposure to sunlight, which maximizes photosynthesis.  There is a wide range in size - marine algae ranges from microscopic phytoplankton, which are single celled organisms floating freely in the ocean, to giant kelp, which live in costal, under

Tidepools are a popular attraction for people of all ages. Kids climb and look around the pools, looking and examining the different organisms and creatures in the pools. It can be a great place to learn about the diverse ecosystem and get a hands on experience of the marine environment. Tidepools are also used by students and scientists to gather information from the ecosystem.    I popular thing to do is tidepooling. During the low tides, the water recedes revealing interesting creatures and environments that were previously covered by the sea water. These tide pools hold an incredible diversity of marine life and is observed by people. Scientists, students and just regular people come here to see the marine life and use it for their studies. (1) Humans use intertidal zones to harvest animals and plants for bait, food and more recently, personal aquariums. More people have access to tidepools than ever before so more tidepools are being used to supply human needs. People also

Pollution Coastal pollution poses a threat to tide pool animals and plants. Pollution such as discarded trash, oil spills, sewage spills and toxic chemical runoff all negatively effect the ecosystem. Organizations have set up local beach clean ups all around the world to pick up trash and prevent any pollution from affecting the marine life. This quote from Subtotal Marine Biology book calls for a ban on local thermal effluents. “It may be necessary to designate certain areas along California’s coast where no thermal effluent will be permitted, and establish other areas where subtropical water temperatures will be maintained by heated effluent.” (1) Climate Change Climate change is also having a massive impact on the rocky intertidal zones. Climate change has lead to rising sea levels and temperatures and the more common extreme weather events. The rise in temperature in the water effects how the marine life lives and many creatures aren't evolved to rising temperatures.