Basic Ecological Concepts and Terms

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.1 Basic Ecological Concepts and Terms

• habitat

• ecosystem engineers and foundation species

• facilitation

• predation refuge

• community

• ecosystem

• types of species interactions:

uni- or bi directional

neutral, positive, or negative

strong or weak

The Physical Setting of Rocky Shore Habitats

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.2 The Physical Setting of Rocky Shores

• Global distribution and geology of rocky shore habitats

• Rocky shores are intertidal habitats

•What are tides and what role do they play in shaping intertidal

communities?

• Waves can be important forces structuring the abundance, zonation, and

diversity of intertidal species

• Intertidal organisms have evolved adaptations to cope with this stress:

•Flexibility

•Group living

•Flattened and small bodies

Inhabitants of rocky shore habitats

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.3 Inhabitants of Rocky Shore Habitats

• Primary producers

macro algae, phytoplankton, encrusting algae

• Herbivores

snails, chitons, limpets, urchins

•Filter feeders

mussels, barnacles, bryozoans

• Predators

sea stars, snails, lobsters, crabs, fish, sea birds, anemones

Rocky Shore Community Zonation

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.4 Rocky Shore zonation

High Intertidal Zone

Mid Intertidal Zone

Low Intertidal zone

Shallow Subtidal Zone

Rocky Shore Community Zonation

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.5 Rocky Shore zonation

A rocky intertidal habitat in northwestern Washington

(Courtesy: Mary O’Connor)

barnacles (high intertidal zone)

mussels (mid intertidal zone)

Rocky Shore Community Zonation

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.6 Rocky Shore zonation

A rocky intertidal habitat in northwestern Washington

(Courtesy: Mary O’Connor)

Rocky Shore Community Zonation

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.7Rocky Shore zonation

A rocky intertidal habitat in northwestern Washington

(Courtesy: Mary O’Connor)mussels

algae

Effects of Oil spills on Rocky Shore Communities

Session 2: Rocky ShoresCoastal Hazards Management CourseSlide 2.8 Effects of oil spills on rocky shore communities

The Exxon Valdez oil spill case study

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/spotlight/spotlight.html

http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/

• released 42 million liters of crude oil into Prince William Sounds, AK

• contaminated 2000 km of pristine shoreline

• short and effects on the ecosystem and economy

• long term effects: 15 years later