Zonation

name each zone

A: eulittoral

B: infralittoral

C: circalittoral

chart datum

the lowest low tide mark

lewis’ 1994 classification of zonation

supralittoral, littoral, sublittoral

why is zonation hard to predict on the sandy shore?

context dependent, overlap in spp distribution, mobile and infaunal spp

supralittoral/splash zone

only wetted by splash/storms. low abundance/productivity. small gastropods, lichen, isopods

littoral/high-mid intertidal zone

between high and low water neaps. barnacles/mussels/limpets/fucoid algae

shallow sublittoral/low shore zone

only emersed at spring low tides. kelp, understory algae, invertebrates, fish

physical drivers of zonation

upper limits. temperature, desiccation, light availability.

biological drivers of zonation

lower limits. competition, predation, larval reproduction and settlement.

true/false: macroalgae are predominantly found in the sublittoral zone

false: dominant in the littoral zone between high and low tide marks.