Intertidal Zone Ms. Bridgeland

Intertidal Zone Shallow area connected to the beach that is made up of high tides and low tides Talk about habitats that exist on ROCKY shores Animals that live in the intertidal zone endure harsh conditions because of the waves that bring the high and low tides. * * Crashing waves engulfing them at times – At other times, sun beats down and no water is reaching them

Rocky Shores Rocky Shores are found along much of both coasts of the United States – Ex. California coast

Intertidal Zones Highest rocks on highest high tide line make up the spray zone – A strip of algae makes up the highest high tide line

Intertidal Zone Organisms that live in the intertidal zone must be able to tolerate the pounding waves Changes in salinity and temperature Have to withstand periods of being underwater and periods of being exposed to air

Adaptations for animals in the Intertidal Zone Most avoid drying out Hide from predators Find food in a harsh setting

Intertidal Zone Spray Zone = the highest rocks above the high- tide line ---a strip of algae shows the highest high-tide line Rocks below the spray zone are covered in barnacles. These rocks are also home to limpets (flat animals with large, muscular feet that allow them to hold tightly to rocks) They release drops of mucus around the edges of their shells Mucus form a tight seal

Rocks below the spray zone have barnacles:

Barnacles Can close up their hard shells –this action traps a drop of water inside to carry the barnacles through the dry period until the next high tide

Rocks below the spray zone also have LIMPETS:

Limpet

Tide Pools

What are Tide Pools? They are “pools” of water that are left when a tide comes in because the land on the beach is uneven and has crevices and depressions When the tide goes out, water remains in depressions among the rocks What happens when water in a tide pool evaporates? What happens when it rains on water in a tide pool?

Animals in a Tide Pool Sea urchins: crawl slowly along the bottom of the tide pool and uses its spine to dig a hole in the bottom of the tide pool to protect itself while it waits for food. Sea anemones: wait under shady rock ledges and wait for the incoming tide to bring a fresh supply of plankton and other food particles – Some sea anemones can survive without water for 2 weeks Sea Stars: cling to the rocks with rows of tiny suction cups

Sea Urchin

Sea Anemone

Sea Stars

Estuaries Another important environment along the ocean’s edge Coastal inlets or bays where fresh water from the river mixes with salty ocean water

Coastal Inlet: The “entrance” or connection between a bay and an ocean

Bay: a large body of water connected to the ocean or sea

Fresh water and Salt water mix

“Brackish” Water that is partly salty and partly fresh water Water that is in an estuary is called brackish. Fresh water + Salt water = Brackish.

Coastal Wetlands Are found in and around estuaries. Coastal wetlands have brackish, so have salt and fresh water mixed together Wetland: a land area that is saturated (or completely filled) with water In the United States, most wetlands are: – 1) Mangrove Forests – 2) Salt Marshes

Coastal Wetland

1) Mangrove Forest A wetland that is made up of Mangrove trees that grow in brackish water Mangrove trees protect the coastline from the wind and waves during storms Mangrove trees’ roots trap sediment from the land and create a protected “nursery” rich in nutrients for many young animals Orchids, reptiles, birds, crabs

Mangrove Forest

2) Salt Marshes Have smelly mud made up of sediments, animal and plant matter, and nutrients carried into the marsh by fresh water and tides Cordgrass is the most common plant in the marsh –survives well in salt water Animals that live in salt marshes: fish, crabs, shrimp, oysters, crabs, herons, egrets, stilts

Salt Marshes

Where are Mangrove Forests and Salt Marshes? Mangrove Forests are found in southern Florida and along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico Salt Marshes are found along the east coast from Massachusetts to Florida.