An Overview of Tide Pools

            Tide pools may look like nothing more than puddles of water lining the edges of beaches, but they are actually home to many types of adaptable species that have attracted the attention of many people, including marine biologists and naturalists. What makes these types of animals unique is the fact that they must be able to adapt to constant changing of their environment, such as changes in the temperature and amounts of oxygen present. The location of the tide pools used in this experiment are found on the shores of Washington State, in the northwestern United States. In these tide pools there are nine species present, and consist of three producers, three sessile consumers, and three mobile consumers. The three species that are grouped as producers are Nori Seaweed (Porphyra), Black Pine (Neorhodomela), and Coral Weed (Corallina). These 3 species are types of algae, and considered producers because they all produce carbohydrates from inorganic carbon, in other words make their own food. Because Nori Seaweed attach to rocks, they provide shelter to other organisms it shares the tide pool with. Coral Weed also plays an important role as shelter, and is important to development and stability of coral reefs all over. These 3 algae are also a food source to organisms such as Chiton. The three sessile consumers present are Mussels (Mytilus), Acorn Barnacles (Balanus), and Goose Neck Barnacles (Milella). These species are not able to move, but rely on consuming other organisms for food. Mussels are classified as mollusks, and eat a wide range of plankton. They are prey to animals such as crabs, sea snails, and starfish. The Acorn and Goose Neck Barnacles however, are considered to be types of crustacean. Both of these species feed on smaller crustaceans and planktons. The mobile consumers in this community are Whelk (Nucella), Chiton (Katharina), and Starfish (Pisaster). These types of consumers are able to move around and prey on organisms.