Internal Zonation in the rocky intertidal

supralittoral zone

area just above the very high tide. Terrestrial but influenced by the sea. Receives some spray from the waves, mist. Terrestrial lichens, some flowering plants

supralittoral fringe

from the upper limit of barnacles, extreme high tides, splash zone. Mainly littorinid snails, black encrusting lichens, some limpets

midlittoral zone

larges zone, from upper extent of barnacles at a top, to upper extend of large kelps at bottom, near lowest low tide. Is often subdivided.

infralittoral fringe

from upper edge of large kelps down to lowest low water. Exposed only briefly and during the lowest tides, ed in the troughs of waves at low tide. Most species here are subtidal, cannot tolerate complete emersion except for a very brief time

infralittoral zone

below lowest tide, subtidal or sublittoral

Condition in the interitdal

Tides, temp, desiccation, wave action, salinity, oxygen concentration