ROCKY SHORE ZONATION

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WEST BENGAL UNIVERSITY OF ANIMAL AND FISHERY
SCIENCESFACULTY OF FISHERY SCIENCES

• A seminar on ROCKY SHORE ZONATION

• Submitted to
• Dr. S.K.ROUT
• Dept. of AEM
• Course AEM-124

• Submitted by
• SAYANTAN BHATTACHARJEE
• FS-25/14
• B. F. Sc-1ST Year 2ND SEM.

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INTRODUCTION

• A rocky shore is an intertidal area that consists
  of solid rocks. It is often a biologically rich
  environment and can include many different
  habitat types like steep rocky cliffs, platforms,
  rock pools and boulder fields.
• Because of the continuously action of the tides,
  it is characterized by erosional features.
• Together with the wind, sunlight and other
  physical factors it creates a complex
  environment.

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FORMATION

• Sufficient loose or unconsolidated material and a
  suitable coastal environment to allow the
  sediments to accumulate are key features in the
  formation of beaches.
• The sediments can be terrigenous (land-derived),
  transported by rivers and streams or through
  erosion of coastal cliffs.
• In tropical regions or places with a lack of
  land-derived material, sediments may be biogenous
  and consists of broken corals or shells.

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Zonation

• Each region on the coast has a specific group of
  organisms that form distinct horizontal bands or
  zones on the rocks.
• The appearance of dominant species in these
  zones is called vertical zonation. It is a nearly
  universal feature of the intertidal zone.

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ZONATION OF ROCKY SHORE

• Horizontal Division-
• Neritic region 0 200 mts depth
• Oceanic region gt200 mts depth
• Vertical division-
• a.Pleuston region The transitional
  region in between the upper most sea surface and
  the air contact with it.
• b.Pelagic region Region of whole water
  column associated with production.
• Subdivision
• Epipelagic (0-200 m depth)
• Meso-pelagic (200-1000 m depth)
• Bathy-pelagic (1000-4000 m depth)
• c. Benthic region It includes the region of
  substratum(sandy, ,rocky,muddy,mangrove,coral
  reef,estuarine etc.)

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Supratidal zone

• This upper region is called the supratidal or
  splash zone. It is only covered during storms and
  extremely high tides and is moistened by the
  spray of the breaking waves.
• Organisms are exposed to the drying heat of the
  sun in the summer and to extreme low temperatures
  in the winter. Common organisms are lichens. They
  are composed of fungi and microscopic algae
  living together and sharing food and energy to
  grow.

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Intertidal zone

• The intertidal zone or littoral zone is the
  shoreward fringe of the sea bed between the
  highest and lowest limit of the tides.
• The upper limit is often controlled by
  physiological limits on species tolerance of
  temperature and drying.
• The lower limit is often determined by the
  presence of predators or competing species.
• Because the intertidal zone is a transition zone
  between the land and the sea, it causes heat
  stress, desiccation, oxygen depletion and reduced
  opportunities for feeding.

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TYPES OF INTERTIDAL ZONE

• High tide zone or high intertidal zone. This
  region is only flooded during high tides.
  Organisms that you can find here are anemones,
  barnacles, chitons, crabs,isopods, mussels, sea
  stars, snails,...
• Middle tide zone or mid-littoral zone. This is a
  turbulent zone that is (un)covered twice a day.
  The zone extends from the upper limit of the
  barnacles to the lower limit of large brown algae
  (e.g. Laminariales, Fucoidales). Common organisms
  are snails, sponges, sea stars, barnacles,
  mussels, sea palms, crabs,...
• Low intertidal zone or lower littoral zone. This
  region is usually covered with water. It is only
  uncovered when the tide is extremely low. In
  contrast to the other zones, the organisms are
  not well adapted to long periods of dryness or to
  extreme temperatures. The common organisms in
  this region are brown seaweed,crabs, hydroids,
  mussels, sea cucumber, sea lettuce, sea urchins,
  shrimps, snails, tube worms,

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Subtidal zone

• The subtidal zone or sublittoral zone is the
  region below the intertidal zone and is
  continuously covered by water.
• This zone is much more stable than the
  intertidal zone. Temperature, water pressure and
  sunlight radiation remain nearly constant.
  Organisms do not dry out as often as organisms
  higher on the beach.
• They grow much faster and are better in
  competition for the same niche. More essential
  nutrients are acquired from the water and they
  are buffered from extreme changes in temperature.

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Problems and adaptations

• Air
• Intertidal organisms are regularly exposed to air
  and water. Air differs physically from seawater
  in diverse and important features. This
  influences the ability to exchange gas and their
  overall thermal balance with the surrounding
  environment.
• Light
• Sunlight is another parameter that influences the
  organisms. When there is too much sunlight,
  organisms dry out and the capacity to capture
  light energy can be weakened.
• Too little sunlight reduces the growth and
  reproduction of the organism, because
  photosynthesis is reduced.
• Temperature
• The intertidal zone can experience extreme
  temperature changes. The organisms in this zone
  must be resistant to these changes to survive.
  Most of the marine organisms are ectothermic and
  need the warmth from the environment to survive.
• Salinity stress
• Salinity stress can occur in the external medium
  and in surface films. The concentration of the
  fluids determines whether or not the organism
  will lose water.

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CONCLUSION

• Rocky Shore are used for
• Providing a home for a lot of organisms
• Nursery area for many fish and crustacean species
  
• Shelter in areas where seaweeds break the waves
  power
• Providing food for fishes
• Algal beds important food source for rare and
  threatened species like sea turtles
• Feeding ground at low tide for wading birds
• Stabilization inshore sediment

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• Reference
• www.google.com
• www.wikipedia.com
• A TEXT BOOK ON ECOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
• (M.PRASANTHRAJAN P.P.MAHENDRAN0)

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THANK YOU