Between the Tides Part 2: Rocky Intertidal Zones

Multiple Choice

In the rocky intertidal, zonation is based on _________.

• location

• amount of sand

• amount of rock face

Multiple Choice

There are 4 zones in the rocky intertidal environment, what are they?

• Splash zone, High-Tide Zone, Mid-Tide Zone, and Low-Tide Zone

• Splatter zone, High-tide zone, Mesotidal-zone, and Low-tide zone

• Epifaunal zone, Infaunal zone, Meiofaunal zone, and Low-tide zone

Multiple Choice

Which zone of the rocky intertial is the least populated?

• splash zone

• high-tide zone

• mid-tide zone

• low-tide zone

Multiple Choice

Competition for space is greatest here because it is the least extreme of the zones.  Consequently, it also has more species.

• Splash zone

• High-tide zone

• Mid-tide zone

• Low-tide zone

Multiple Choice

This area is covered with water during most high tides.

This area is completely exposed to air during most low tides.

• Splash zone

• High-tide zone

• Mid-tide zone

• Low-tide zone

Multiple Choice

This area is completely covered by water only during the highest high tides.

Parts of this area are exposed to air for long periods of time.

• Splash zone

• High-tide zone

• Mid-tide zone

• Low-tide zone

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is one potential explanation for why the little gray barnacle lives around the high water line?

• They have a higher desiccation tolerance than the rock barnacles.

• They have a lower desiccation tolerance than the rock barnacles.

• They do not compete with the rock barnacles for space.

Multiple Choice

If a habitat is disturbed, organisms move in and are excluded in a predictable pattern known as _____________.

• ecological succession

• ecological adaptation

• environmental succession

Multiple Choice

_________ (competition for space, predation, grazing) are often important factors in determining lower limit of rocky intertidal organisms

• Biological interactions

• Physical factors

• Substrate type

Multiple Choice

________ factors (such as desiccation) are important in determining the upper limit of intertidal organisms.

• Physical

• Biological

• Predation

Multiple Choice

Why are starfish considered a keystone species on rocky coastlines?

• Without starfish as predators, mussels would take over the rocky intertidal zone very quickly.

• Without starfish, algal species will grow out of control in the rocky intertidal zone.

• Without starfish, there is greater biodiversity in the rocky intertidal zone.

Open Ended

What are three ways to study species range limits in the intertidal zone?

Open Ended

What generally controls the upper limit of species ranges in the intertidal zone?  The lower limit?