OCS 1005 Chapter : Chapter 15
15 Mar 2019
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Document Summary
Drying out during low tide, strong wave activity, predators occupy. The energy level a shore experiences is directly related to the strength area during low tide/high tide, difficulty finding mates for attached species, rapid changes in temperature salinity, ph, and oxygen content, and lack of space or attachment sites. Organisms living in these adverse conditions have developed certain adaptations such as: ability to seek shelter or withdraw into shells, thick exterior or exoskeleton to prevent water loss. In algae: strong holdfasts to prevent being washed away. If a shore has low-energy levels, particle size is smaller, the slope of sediment decreases, the stability of sediment increases. So the sediment in a mud flat is considered to be more stable than a sandy beach with high energy levels. When the wave break, the water sinks into the sand and supplies nutrients and oxygen to the animals that live there. Getting this oxygen aids in decomposition of dead tissue.
