Life in the Intertidal Zone

Each tide pool is a unique environment formed in rocky depressions by the receding tide. Tide pool organisms face large and sudden changes in salinity, temperature, pH and other factors due to tidal movements. As a result, residents have many special adaptations. Tide pools differ from each other depending on depth and height in the intertidal. Anemones, sea urchins, barnacles, dog whelks, and sculpins create intricate interactions in these tiny, isolated micro-habitats.

You and a partner are to research the following areas about a plant or animal:

Where does the organism live in the intertidal zone?
How does it adapt to the tidal changes?
Make a food chain. Be sure to include predators and prey.
How does the plant or animal breathe (photosynthesis or respiration)?
How does the animal move?
What is the Latin name?
What phylum is it in?

Here are some links that may help you research your plant or animal.


Producers
Producers play an important role in the food chain. In this site you will find some great pictures and some information about what part of the intertidal zone a producer lives.

Chesapeake Bay Program
This site contains information about different crabs, oysters and shrimp. The horseshoe crab is also found on this page.

Virtural Tide Pool
This site will allow you to interact with one of the world's most fascinating places.

Enchanted Learning Search Click your biome, the Intertidal Zone, to find information that explains how life is so different. There are animal and plant pictures. Just click one to get detailed information.

Enchanted Learning Search
So where in the intertidal zone does your organism live? This page may help.

Ocean Links
Marine scientists have developed this site. Many plants and animals are featured on this web page. There is a special section, Ask a Scientist, where you can check if your questions have been asked. The pictures of the animals are wonderful.

The Tide Pool Page
This is a great web site to help with finding out where your organism lives. There are many links to answer more of your questions. Click on a section of the tide pool, then plants and animals of that habitat will be listed. There is also an index on the left side of the page to help you.

Scientific Report Rubric and The Collaborative Project Rubric. The sections of the Scientific Report Rubric that we will not be using are procedure and data resutls.