The rocky shoreline of Newport, Rhode Island showing a clear line where high tide occurs. Narraganset Bay, which eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean, is seen in the background.

A rock, seen at low tide, exhibiting typical intertidal zonation, Kalaloch, Washington, western USA.

A rock pool in the intertidal zone shown during low tide, Sunrise-on-Sea, South Africa.

Mussels in the intertidal zone in Cornwall, England.

Barnacles and limpets in the intertidal zone near Newquay, Cornwall.

The intertidal zone (also known as the foreshore) is the area that is exposed to the air at low tide and submerged at high tide, for example, the area between tide marks. This area can include many different types of habitats, including steep rocky cliffs, sandy beaches or vast mudflats. The area can be a narrow strip, as in Pacific islands that have only a narrow tidal range, or can include many meters of shoreline where shallow beach slope interacts with high tidal excursion. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3264 × 2448 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3264 × 2448 pixel, file size: 2. ... Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1131x1820, 637 KB) Summary A rock on a beach near Kalaloch, Washington. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1131x1820, 637 KB) Summary A rock on a beach near Kalaloch, Washington. ... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2500 × 1875 pixel, file size: 777 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photograph taken by Mark A. Wilson (Department of Geology, The College of Wooster). ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2500 × 1875 pixel, file size: 777 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photograph taken by Mark A. Wilson (Department of Geology, The College of Wooster). ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixels, file size: 1. ... Orders Ascothoracica Acrothoracica Thoracica Rhizocephala A barnacle is a type of arthropod belonging to infraclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea and is hence distantly related to crabs and lobsters. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: See article: Limpet If you disagree with its speedy deletion, please explain why on its talk page or at Wikipedia:Speedy deletions. ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ... Look up air in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about tides in the ocean. ... High Tide was a band that was formed in 1969 by Tony Hill (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Simon House (violin and keyboards), Pete Pavli (bass) and Roger Hadden (drums). ... Mudflats in Brewster, Massachusetts extending hundreds of yards offshore at the low tide. ...

Organisms in the intertidal zone are adapted to an environment of harsh extremes. Water is available regularly with the tides but varies from fresh with rain to highly saline and dry salt with drying between tidal inundations. The action of waves can dislodge residents in the littoral zone. With the intertidal zone's high exposure to the sun the temperature range can be anything from very hot with full sun to near freezing in colder climes. Some microclimates in the littoral zone are ameliorated by local features and larger plants such as mangroves. Adaption in the littoral zone is for making use of nutrients supplied in high volume on a regular basis from the sea which is actively moved to the zone by tides. Edges of habitats, in this case land and sea, are themselves often significant ecologies, and the littoral zone is a prime example. Domains and Kingdoms Nanobes Acytota Cytota Bacteria Neomura Archaea Eukaryota Bikonta Apusozoa Rhizaria Excavata Archaeplastida Rhodophyta Glaucophyta Plantae Heterokontophyta Haptophyta Cryptophyta Alveolata Unikonta Amoebozoa Opisthokonta Choanozoa Fungi Animalia An ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Life on Earth redirects here. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... This article is about tides in the Earths oceans. ... This article is about precipitation. ... Annual mean sea surface salinity for the World Ocean. ... This article is about common table salt. ... For the TV movie also known as The Ocean Waves, see I Can Hear the Sea. ... A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ... For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ... Sol redirects here. ... Microclimate on rock located in intertidal zone on rock at Sunrise-on Sea Tree ferns thrive in a protected dell at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, in Cornwall, England, latitude 50° 15N A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. ... Above and below water view at the edge of the mangal. ... The eye is an adaptation. ... A nutrient is a substance used in an organisms metabolism which must be taken in from the environment. ... This article is about the body of water. ... For other uses, see Ecological Systems Theory. ...

A typical rocky shore can be divided into a spray zone or splash zone (also known as the supratidal zone), which is above the spring high-tide line and is covered by water only during storms, and an intertidal zone, which lies between the high and low tidal extremes. Along most shores, the intertidal zone can be clearly separated into the following subzones: high tide zone, middle tide zone, and low tide zone. This article is about the geological substance. ... Shore A shore or shoreline is the land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. ...

Zonation

Marine biologists and others divide the intertidal region into three zones (low, middle, and high), based on the overall average exposure of the zone. The low intertidal zone, which borders on the shallow subtidal zone, is only exposed to air at the lowest of low tides and is primarily marine in character. The mid intertidal zone is regularily exposed and submerged by average tides. The high intertidal zone is only covered by the highest of the high tides, and spends much of its time as terrestrial habitat. The high intertidal zone borders on the swash zone (the region above the highest still-tide level, but which receives wave splash). On shores exposed to heavy wave action, the intertidal zone will be influenced by waves, as the spray from breaking waves will extend the intertidal region above the high tide line. ...

Depending on the substratum and topography of the shore, additional features may be noticed. On rocky shores, tide pools may be formed at low tide when water is trapped in hollows. Under certain conditions, such as those at Morecambe Bay, quicksand may be formed. A tide pool on Gabriola Island, British Columbia showing ochre sea stars Tide pools (also tidal pools or rock pools) are rocky pools by oceans that are filled with seawater. ... Morecambe Bay at low tide from Hest Bank, looking towards Grange-over-Sands. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Low tide zone (lower littoral)

This subregion is mostly submerged - it is only exposed at the point of low tide and for a longer period of time during extremely low tides. This area is teeming with life; the most notable difference with this subregion to the other three is that there is much more marine vegetation, especially seaweeds. There is also a great biodiversity. Organisms in this zone generally are not well adapted to periods of dryness and temperature extremes. Some of the organisms in this area are abalone, anemones, brown seaweed, chitons, crabs, green algae, hydroids, isopods, limpets, mussels, nudibranchs, sculpin, sea cucumber, sea lettuce, sea palms, sea stars, sea urchins, shrimp, snails, sponges, surf grass, tube worms, and whelks. Creatures in this area can grow to larger sizes because there is more available energy in the localised ecosystem and because marine vegetation can grow to much greater sizes than in the other three intertidal subregions due to the better water coverage: the water is shallow enough to allow plenty of light to reach the vegetation to allow substantial photosynthetic activity, and the salinity is at almost normal levels. This area is also protected from large predators such as large fish because of the wave action and the water still being relatively shallow. Ascophyllum nodosum exposed to the sun in Nova Scotia, Canada Dead Mans Fingers (Codium fragile) off Massachusetts coast For the band, see; Seaweed (band) For the rock musician, see; Seaweed (musician) Seaweeds are any of a large number of marine benthic algae. ... Species Many, see species section. ... Species see text Anemone (Anemone) (from the Gr. ... Families See text. ... For other uses, see Crab (disambiguation). ... Divisions Chlorophyta Charophyta Green algae are microscopic protists; found in all aquatic environments, including marine, freshwater and brackish water. ... Orders Actinulida Capitata Chondrophora Filifera Hydroida Siphonophora Trachylina Organisms that are in Class Hydrozoa come from the Phylum Cnidaria. ... SubOrders Anthuridea Asellota Calabozoida Epicaridea Flabellifera Microcerberidea Oniscidea Phreatoicidea Valvifera Isopods are one of the most diverse orders of Crustaceans, with many species living in all environments, and are common in shallow marine waters. ... Suborders and families See text. ... Subclasses Pteriomorpha (marine mussels) Palaeoheterodonta (freshwater mussels) Heterodonta (zebra mussels) The term mussel is used for several families of bivalve molluscs inhabiting lakes, rivers, and creeks, as well as intertidal areas along coastlines worldwide. ... A nudibranch (pronounced ) common name sea slug, is any member of a suborder of soft-bodied, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms. ... Genera Alcichthys Andriashevicottus Antipodocottus Archaulus Argyrocottus Artedielloides Artediellus Artedius Ascelichthys Asemichthys Astrocottus Bero Bolinia Chitonotus Clinocottus Cottiusculus Cottus Daruma Enophrys Furcina Gymnocanthus Hemilepidotus Icelinus Icelus Jordania Leiocottus Leptocottus Megalocottus Mesocottus Micrenophrys Microcottus Myoxocephalus Ocynectes Oligocottus Orthonopias Paricelinus Phallocottus Phasmatocottus Porocottus Pseudoblennius Radulinopsis Radulinus Ricuzenius Ruscarius Scorpaenichthys Sigmistes Stelgistrum Stlegicottus Stlengis... Orders Subclass Apodacea Apodida Molpadiida Subclass Aspidochirotacea Aspidochirotida Elasipodida Subclass Dendrochirotacea Dactylochirotida Dendrochirotida Wikispecies has information related to: Holothuroidea The sea cucumber is an echinoderm of the class Holothuroidea, with an elongated body and leathery skin, which is found on the sea floor worldwide. ... Species Ulva lactuca Ulva pertusa Ulva fasciata Ulva rigida Ulva pertusa Ulva linza and more at algaeBASE The sea lettuces comprise the genus Ulva, a group of edible green algae widely distributed along the coasts of the worlds oceans. ... Orders Forcipulatida Paxillosida Notomyotida Spinulosida Valvatida Velatida Brisingida Starfish redirects here. ... Subclasses Subclass Perischoechinoidea Order Cidaroida (pencil urchins) Subclass Euechinoidea Superorder Atelostomata Order Cassiduloida Order Spatangoida (heart urchins) Superorder Diadematacea Order Diadematoida Order Echinothurioida Order Pedinoida Superorder Echinacea Order Arbacioida Order Echinoida Order Phymosomatoida Order Salenioida Order Temnopleuroida Superorder Gnathostomata Order Clypeasteroida (sand dollars) Order Holectypoida Wikispecies has information related to... Superfamilies Alpheoidea Atyoidea Bresilioidea Campylonotoidea Crangonoidea Galatheacaridoidea Nematocarcinoidea Oplophoroidea Palaemonoidea Pandaloidea Pasiphaeoidea Procaridoidea Processoidea Psalidopodoidea Stylodactyloidea True shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. ... For other uses, see Snail (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sponge (disambiguation). ... The name tube worm describes several groups of marine worms that secrete tubes which they then inhabit, emerging to filter feed. ... A whelk is a large marine gastropod (snail) found in temperate waters. ... Prism splitting light High Resolution Solar Spectrum Sunlight in the broad sense is the total spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. ... Photosynthesis splits water to liberate O2 and fixes CO2 into sugar The leaf is the primary site of photosynthesis in plants. ... Annual mean sea surface salinity for the World Ocean. ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... ...

Ecology

Main article: Intertidal ecology

The intertidal region is an important model systems for the study of ecology, especially on wave-swept rocky shores. The region contains a high diversity of species, and the different zones caused by the physics of the tides causes species ranges to be compressed into very narrow bands. This makes it relatively simple to study species across their entire cross-shore range, something that can be extremely difficult in, for instance, terrestrial habitats that can stretch thousands of kilometers. Communities on wave-swept shores also have high turnover due to disturbance, so it is possible to watch ecological succession over years rather than decades. Intertidal habitats occur on shorelines between the low and high tide lines. ... For the journal, see Ecology (journal). ...

Since the foreshore is alternately covered by the sea and exposed to the air, organisms living in this environment must have adaptions for both wet and dry conditions. Hazards include being smashed or carried away by rough waves, exposure to dangerously high temperatures, and desiccation. Typical inhabitants include sea anemones, barnacles, chitons, crabs, isopods, limpets, mussels, starfish, snails and whelks. Families Many, see text. ... For other uses, see Barnacle (disambiguation). ... Families See text. ... For other uses, see Crab (disambiguation). ... SubOrders Anthuridea Asellota Calabozoida Epicaridea Flabellifera Microcerberidea Oniscidea Phreatoicidea Valvifera Isopods are one of the most diverse orders of Crustaceans, with many species living in all environments, and are common in shallow marine waters. ... Suborders and families See text. ... Subclasses Pteriomorpha (marine mussels) Palaeoheterodonta (freshwater mussels) Heterodonta (zebra mussels) The term mussel is used for several families of bivalve molluscs inhabiting lakes, rivers, and creeks, as well as intertidal areas along coastlines worldwide. ... Orders Brisingida (100 species[1]) Forcipulatida (300 species[2]) Paxillosida (255 species[3]) Notomyotida (75 species[4]) Spinulosida (120 species[5]) Valvatida (695 species[6]) Velatida (200 species[7]) For other uses, see Starfish (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Snail (disambiguation). ... A whelk is a large marine gastropod (snail) found in temperate waters. ...

Legal issues

As with the dry sand part of a beach, legal and political disputes can arise over the ownership and use of the foreshore. One recent example is the New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy. In legal discussions the foreshore is often referred to as the wet-sand area. The New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy is a debate in the politics of New Zealand. ...

For privately owned beaches in the United States, some states such as Massachusetts use the low water mark as the dividing line between the property of the State and that of the beach owner while others such as California use the high water mark. In the UK the foreshore is generally deemed to be owned by the Crown although there are notable exceptions especially what are termed several fisheries which can be historic deeds to title dating back to King John's time or earlier, and the Udal Law which applies generally in Orkney and Shetland. This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... This article is about the King of England. ... Udal law is a near-defunct Norse derived legal system, which was formerly found in the Shetland islands and Orkney. ... Location Geography Area Ranked 16th  - Total 990 km²  - % Water  ? Admin HQ Kirkwall ISO 3166-2 GB-ORK ONS code 00RA Demographics Population Ranked 32nd  - Total (2006) 19,800  - Density 20 / km² Scottish Gaelic  - Total () {{{Scottish council Gaelic Speakers}}} Politics Orkney Islands Council http://www. ... For other uses, see Shetland (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Littoral zone

A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ...

Sources and notes

Further reading

• Enchanted Learning
• Enyclopædia Britannica