The coastal line experiences two types of tides. There is the high tide and the low tide. During the daytime, the water retreats inwards, and it comes back as the day progresses. At night, the coast experiences a high tide. These fluctuations in water levels result in an incredible eco-system right there on the shallow shores. The shallow puddles of water left exposed during the daytime are filled with all kinds of animals and plants. Some are visible, others microscopic. They are all equally important. This article seeks to introduce the reader to the concept of tidal pools and most importantly, the importance of conserving rock pools.
There are two types of tidal pools. The deep and the shallow tidal pools. Each class has its own dynamics. The creatures that thrive in each subset of pools is uniquely different from the counterpart. Asides the depth, the size is also an important factor. The larger the hole, the more animals it can support. The bigger pools are better protected from the direct waves.
The size of the hole determines the occupants. Microscopic and small organisms can live anywhere. Octopuses and the larger fish, however, need a larger home capable of both providing them with enough food and with adequate space to live together with their offspring. It is possible to find some animals expanding the size of a pond so that they can lay their eggs.
Temperature is another critical factor inside this ecosystems. It needs to be maintained at relatively constant levels at all times. The smaller pools are more susceptible to the dramatic shifts in the temperatures. During the day, and especially in the hot season, some shallow pools loose up all their water, and this results in death to the creatures that were inside the structure.
Another factor that is ever shifting is the salt content of the water. Rainwater and river water has a way of lowering the salinity of the tidal waters. Some organisms cannot survive in the fresh water, and they depend on the returning of salty water for their continued survival. The more sand and mud that comes into a particular zone, the fewer the creatures that can survive and vice versa.
The survival of the animals in the fragile ecosystem is dependent on a balance of various factors and elements. For instance, the oxygen is produced during daytime by the plants. The animals take up the oxygen and give out carbon dioxide needed by the plants for photosynthesis. The amount of sediment in a particular location is also a critical factor for survival. Sediments like mud and sand make it impossible for the small fish to breathe through their gills.
The intertidal zone is heavily impacted by human activity. The more people move along the beach during the low tide, the more harm and damage they cause to the delicate microorganisms found on the adjacent grounds. Their presence and movements also interfere with the normal life of the creatures like the fish and the octopus. Instead, on them focusing on hunting, they look for places to hide from the humans.
Environmentalists have done a commendable job in researching about the intertidal zone. Their findings are many and varied. They all have one underlying theme and narrative in common. Littering and the accumulation of garbage and other forms of waste is the most dangerous thing that could happen to any coast. The fish ends up suffocating, and all the other creatures slowly get wiped out.
There are two types of tidal pools. The deep and the shallow tidal pools. Each class has its own dynamics. The creatures that thrive in each subset of pools is uniquely different from the counterpart. Asides the depth, the size is also an important factor. The larger the hole, the more animals it can support. The bigger pools are better protected from the direct waves.
The size of the hole determines the occupants. Microscopic and small organisms can live anywhere. Octopuses and the larger fish, however, need a larger home capable of both providing them with enough food and with adequate space to live together with their offspring. It is possible to find some animals expanding the size of a pond so that they can lay their eggs.
Temperature is another critical factor inside this ecosystems. It needs to be maintained at relatively constant levels at all times. The smaller pools are more susceptible to the dramatic shifts in the temperatures. During the day, and especially in the hot season, some shallow pools loose up all their water, and this results in death to the creatures that were inside the structure.
Another factor that is ever shifting is the salt content of the water. Rainwater and river water has a way of lowering the salinity of the tidal waters. Some organisms cannot survive in the fresh water, and they depend on the returning of salty water for their continued survival. The more sand and mud that comes into a particular zone, the fewer the creatures that can survive and vice versa.
The survival of the animals in the fragile ecosystem is dependent on a balance of various factors and elements. For instance, the oxygen is produced during daytime by the plants. The animals take up the oxygen and give out carbon dioxide needed by the plants for photosynthesis. The amount of sediment in a particular location is also a critical factor for survival. Sediments like mud and sand make it impossible for the small fish to breathe through their gills.
The intertidal zone is heavily impacted by human activity. The more people move along the beach during the low tide, the more harm and damage they cause to the delicate microorganisms found on the adjacent grounds. Their presence and movements also interfere with the normal life of the creatures like the fish and the octopus. Instead, on them focusing on hunting, they look for places to hide from the humans.
Environmentalists have done a commendable job in researching about the intertidal zone. Their findings are many and varied. They all have one underlying theme and narrative in common. Littering and the accumulation of garbage and other forms of waste is the most dangerous thing that could happen to any coast. The fish ends up suffocating, and all the other creatures slowly get wiped out.
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