Predator Prey Interactions in Marine Habitats

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Predator Prey Interactions in Marine Habitats

• Compiled by Katherine J Papacostas

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Seagrass Habitats

• The marine equivalent of rainforests
• As a habitat, seagrasses provide food, shelter,
  nursery areas to commercial and recreational fish
  species and invertebrates

Global Distribution of Seagrasses
http//www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/seagrass_habitat.htm
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Rocky Intertidal Habitats

• The rocky intertidal is the portion of a rocky
  coastline that is periodically covered or exposed
  by daily tidal changes.
• What do you notice about the rocky intertidal in
  this picture that might be beneficial to the
  predators/prey that live there?
• How about things that might be detrimental to the
  predators/prey that live there?

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Mudflat Habitats

• Mudflats are
• coastal habitats that form when mud is deposited
  by tides or rivers.
• Species diversity is much lower in mudflats than
  in more complex habitats.
• Why do you think this is? Hint think about
  predator-prey interactions