Rocky shores are areas of bedrock exposed between the extreme high and extreme low tide levels on the seashore. The ecosystem is complex, as it is an interaction between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Plants and animals are distributed on the shore in horizontal zones that relate to the tolerance of the species to either exposure to air or submergence in water during the tidal cycle. This zonation can be very clear and abrupt. Tide pools often have rich communities of organisms normally associated with the lower shore or subtidal habitats.

The plants are typically algae (seaweeds) and lichens. In sheltered muddy locations, cord grass and Eel-grass may occur. The animals include marine benthic fauna tolerant to various periods of exposure to the air at low tide, and vagrant terrestrial species including insect larvae.

This Document Includes:

Formation
Physical Aspects
Ecosystem
Plants

Splash Zone
Upper Shore
Middle Shore
Lower Shore

Animals

Upper Shore
Middle Shore
Lower Shore

Special Features
Distribution

Download PDF File (96k, 4 pages, 1 figure, 1 plate)

Additional Keywords:
algae, lichens, tide pools, Cord Grass, Eel Grass, seaweeds, rockweeds, epiphytic, Irish Moss, kelps, Rough Periwinkle, barnacles, amphipod crustaceans, Hydroids, Blue Mussels, Green Sea Urchin, Dog Whelks, Purple Starfish, Limpets, isopods, sponges, tube worms, tunicates, Sea Anemones, Rock Crabs, Sea Slugs, bivalves, Ruddy Turnstones, Herring Gulls, White-tailed Deer, Bay of Fundy, Atlantic Coast

Associated Topics:

T4 Colonization
T6.1 Ocean Currents
T6.2 Oceanic Environments
T7.1 Modifying Forces
T7.2 Coastal Environments
T7.3 Coastal Landforms
T10.9 Algae
T10.11 Lichens
T11.6 Shorebirds and Other Birds of Coastal Wetlands
T11.10 Ungulates
T11.12 Marine Mammals
T11.14 Marine Fishes
T11.17 Marine Invertebrates

Associated Habitats:

H1.1 Open Water
H1.2 Benthic
H2.2 Boulder/Cobble Shore
H2.3 Sandy Shore
H2.4 Mud Flat
H2.5 Tidal Marsh
H5.3 Cliff and Bank