Gallery
Marine animals found on rocks, in the pools or on the algal turf
Herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and scavengers each find their niche in the intertidal zone. They live side-by-side competing with each other for resources, defending against one another from predation, and even cooperating together if the deal is good. And it all takes place in a confined pool that only gets smaller, warmer and saltier as the sun hits the surface and water evaporates throughout the hours of a falling tide.
On the main Gallery page, you can try searching by common name, scientific name or habitat type.
Marine animals found in the algal turf
Hundreds of species of small, benthic invertebrates call the algal turf home. The handful of organisms (or the segments of their bodies) pictured in this gallery range in size from one millimeter to thirteen millimeters. The turf surrounding them is made up predominantly of coralline algae which provides them protection from predators, shelter from drying out during low tide and a food source for herbivores.
The purpose of this gallery is to demonstrate the variety of animals that can occupy the surface area of a single footstep in the intertidal zone at Bird Rock. Most of the animals have been identified by their family name. The size listed represents only the part of the animal visible in the photo. These animals were photographed live through a dissecting microscope and later returned to Bird Rock. See "About This Project" for more information.
Algae & Plants
In the intertidal zone at Bird Rock, algae provide food to herbivores, physical shelter to many animals, and oxygen to all. Avid snorklers, divers and tide pool visitors will notice that it can be difficult to find a rock (or shell, for that matter) that is submerged in the ocean for some or all of the day that isn’t covered with algae. And we should be thankful for it because we need plants and algae to survive on this planet for the oxygen they produce and the food webs they support. So take a moment to browse the algae and silently express your gratitude to the photosynthesizers.
Birds
In the early morning hours or in the late afternoon, a variety of birds can be found in the intertidal zone at Bird Rock. Some birds, such as the Brown Pelican and the Cormorants, use the small rock island as a resting perch between near shore flights in search of schooling fish to feed upon. Other birds, such as the Snowy Egret, mimic our own movements through the tide pools carefully placing one foot in front of the other with attention directed down in search of an organism – though in their case, for a meal.
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