Thursday, October 27, 2016

The Simple Fundamentals Of Rock Pools And Its Vast Ecosystem

By Dennis Wright


A tide pool is a formation that is similar to a residential bath, but they can be usually found in a sea which makes them a saltwater surface. Low tides have the capacity to increase their visibility, and their creation as a habitat has piqued the interest of naturalists and marine biologists. This pool is described as a natural aquarium created by waves which becomes the home of marine species.

They naturally became the community that allows numerous creatures to reside, and salt is gathered once the tides fade away. These rock pools formed in intertidal regions where exposure to wind or sun in low tides is possible, yet when the ride rises, they are completely covered. Their positions and dimensions, altogether with the species that dwell shorelines are factors that considers the formation of their ecosystem.

In other regions, animals like small shellfishes such as crabs, barnacles, starfish, cats eyes, and periwinkles, alongside with sea anemones, and various types of seaweeds are the common inhabitants of these formations. The creatures that live in these surfaces depend on each other for their survival, and they need the ability to withstand the waves and to cope with the changes in the temperature. They can also use these surfaces as their shelter against low tide.

Yet, high tides allow them to leave their natural ecosystem and wander in larger communities in search for food. Recent research shows that numerous creatures are dependent on these formations on constructing their nests. The ocean that surrounds them allowed them to obtain salinity or temperature, yet receding tides are responsible for the changes in their living conditions.

The warmth that comes from the sun heats the pool, but the breeze during night gave them the cold temperature. After heating the water, they do not have the capacity to easily pass down the warmth, and this commonly leads to thermocline. This condition is accountable for the creation of boundary in between the warm and cool waters.

The most common mineral found in these surfaces is salt, and as evaporation occurs, dissolved minerals are left behind. This process increases their saltiness, and instances where salt crusts are formed, minimal animals can live in these habitats. During rainy season, downpours are drained into these formations, and their volume is one of the determinants making them a fresh community.

Whereas, the density of fresh water is lower compared to that of salt water, they emerge on the surface, but when forcefully stirred, different species are given the opportunity to survive in the deepest areas. The occurrences of a low tide at night time are important because they decrease the quantity of oxygen that is absorbed by these animals. This compound is a necessity for their survival because creatures need it to breath, and plants need it to photosynthesize.

Sediments are responsible for making these surfaces look cloudy which deprives the animals of the light they require. They can also settle in their gills used for their breathing, and this causes them to be suffocated. When huge volumes of these sediments are washed on these pools, the fauna and flora creatures are drowned.

High angles are responsible for allowing light to enter. Deeper formations exhibit their distinctive shaded sections wherein red seaweeds can survive, while, narrow surfaces are the habitat of shade tolerant creatures. Moreover, the darkest sections are the places where species that include seasquirts or sponges construct their ecosystem.




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