Intertidal Ecology

The seashore has long been the subject of fascination and study - the Ancient Greek scholar Aristotle made observations and wrote about Mediterranean sea urchins. The considerable knowledge of what to eat and where it could be found has been passed down since prehistoric times by oral tradition in many societies - in Britain it is still unwise to eat shellfish in months without an 'r' in them. Over the last three hundred years or so we have seen the formalization of science and this of course has touched intertidal ecology. Linnaeus classified specimens collected from the seashore and many common species (Patella vulgata L. , Mytilus edulis L. , Littorina littorea (L. )) bear his imprint because he formally described, named and catalogued them. Early natural historians described zonation patterns in the first part of the 19th century (Audouin and Milne-Edwards, 1832), and the Victorians became avid admirers and collectors of shore animals and plants with the advent of the new fashion of seaside holidays (Gosse, 1856; Kingsley, 1856). As science became professionalized towards the end of the century, marine biologists took advantage of low tides to gain easy access to marine life for taxonomic work and classical studies of functional morphology. The first serious studies of the ecology of the shore were made at this time (e. g.

Table of Contents:
1 The shore environment: major gradients.- 1.1 Four major environmental gradients.- 1.2 Interactions between gradients.- 1.3 Modifying factors.- 1.4 Comparisons with other ecosystems.- Overview.- 2 Patterns of distribution.- 2.1 Universal zonation schemes for rocky shores.- 2.2 Rocky shore zonation in different parts of the world.- 2.3 Distribution patterns on other shore types.- 2.4 The meiofauna.- 2.5 Macrophytes on sheltered shores.- 2.6 Zonation along the estuarine gradient.- Overview.- 3 Causes of zonation.- 3.1 Vertical zonation on rocky shores.- 3.2 Determinants of zonation on other kinds of shores.- 3.3 Causes of zonation along other shore gradients.- Overview.- 4 Community dynamics.- 4.1 Rocky shores.- 4.2 Sediment shores.- 4.3 Community succession.- Overview.- 5 Coping with the physical and biological environment.- 5.1 Finding a place to live.- 5.2 Coping with the vertical and horizontal gradients on rocky shores.- 5.3 Coping with life on sandy shores.- 5.4 Coping by modifying behaviour.- 5.5 Dealing with other organisms.- 5.6 Associations, mutualisms and symbioses.- Overview.- 6 The shore as a system.- 6.1 The oceanographic context.- 6.2 The flow of material and energy in shore systems.- 6.3 Links between the shore and other systems.- 6.4 Energy flow and functional interactions on shores.- Overview.- 7 Human impact on the shore.- 7.1 Collecting marine plants and animals for food, bait and curios.- 7.2 Chronic pollution.- 7.3 Acute effects on shores.- 7.4 Introduction of new species.- 7.5 Coastal zone change.- Overview.- 8 Studying shores.- 8.1 Describing the shore.- 8.2 General methods for use on both rocky and sandy shores.- 8.3 Methods applicable to rocky shores.- 8.4 Methods applicable to sediment shores.- 8.5 Long-term studies.- 8.6 Field experiments.- Overview.- References.- Species index.