Tidepools
By: Aedan, Max, Sebastian, Patrick
Description and Location
Tide pools are rocky pools on the seashore, which are normally filled with seawater. Many of these pools are concentrated away from the ocean at low tide, to form separate pools.
Life in Tide Pools
Many different plants and animals inhabit tide pools. Examples include; angiosperms, sea potatoes, rock weeds, gulf weeds, and giant kelp. Common animals found in tide pools include; starfish, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, sea urchin, mussels, sea anemone.
Abiotic and Biotic Factors
Biotic factors: Food availability, predation, and competition for living space.
Abiotic Factors: temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, location, and salinity
Anthropogenic Impact
Harvesting seaweed and intertidal animals for aquariums and food damages the ecosystem. Shell collecting, especially mollusks, are valued by collectors which endangers mollusks numbers.
On the positive side, humans can also have a beneficial impact. Human organizations such as The National Marine Sanctuaries have dedicated their time and resources to protect our tide pools by killing invasive species, and developing education programs to teach people why tide pools are important for marine ecosystems.
Sources
Max, Aedan, Sebastian, Patrick