Distributions and Patterns of Organisms on the Rocky Shore

Aim: To observe and sample organisms on the Rocky Shore, and to discern any patterns of distributions and possible reasons for this. Method: 1. Identify the high water mark (HWM) on the shore (this is easier to measure because it has the most tidal exposure). 2. Choose 5 or more rock pools to observe, preferably at different distances from the HWM 3. Using string lines, measure the distance from the HWM to the rock pool you are observing. 4. Look into each pool and identify all the organisms present, record this in a data table, and state whether this organism is; absent, present, common, or abundant (qualitative data). 5. Repeat this for each of the 5 or more rock pool you are observing.

Data Table of Results: ORGANSIM Green Anemone Sea Star Neptunes Necklace Strap Weed Cushion Star Chiton Brown Periwinkle Cats Eye Snail Zigzag Weed Encrusting Sponge Sponge (golf ball) Limpets Mossweed Glass Shrimp Large Crab Intestine Weed Shore Crab 5m 15m 20m 26m 35m P 40m C C C P C P P P C P P C P P A A C A P P C P

C P

C P

A C

Absent: A Present: P Common: C Abundant: A The organisms

Discussion: There were seventeen different species that were observed in the various rock pools along the Rocky Shore, from 5m to 40m from the high water mark. The most widely spread and common organism was probably Neptunes Necklace, as it was present in all rock pools from 5m to 40m from the high water mark. However after gathering data from the rock pools, it was mentioned that maybe not all the Neptunes Necklace observed was in fact alive, but the seaweed was still present in nearly all the rock pools observed, so this data will be counted as accurate. This widespread amount of Neptunes Necklace indicates a wide tolerance range, and could also indicate that Neptunes Necklace has a commensal interspecific relationship with other organisms on the Rocky Shore. This could be because the mats of Neptunes Necklace formed on the surface of several rock pools (such as the rock pool at the 5m mark), form a protective moist habitat from the sun at low tide, possibly benefitting other organisms such as molluscs or crustaceans (who are in danger of dessication at low tide) and leaving this seaweed seemingly unaffected. An example of this could be the unusually wide spread of Chiton (compared to other organisms on the Rocky Shore) which was present close to the high water mark (15m) as well as further away (40m). This could mean Neptunes Necklace does indeed provide a habitat for this mollusc that allows it to be so widespread compared to other organisms. However there is no obvious correlation between the numbers of chiton and regularly widespread amount Neptunes necklace, and, though there could be other factors that apply, limpets and other such molluscs do not follow this pattern. Limpets were found to be abundant and common at 15m and 20m from the highwater mark, and there could be a correlation between this and the very low amount of organisms present in the zone of the Rocky Shore. At 15m where the limpets were abundant there were no other organisms found apart from low levels of chiton, and a low amount of Neptunes Necklace. A correlation observed is at the 15m limpets are abundant whereas Neptunes necklace is present (this is the only time this seaweed has been observed as less than common), but at 5m and 20m as the level of limpets decrease, Neptun es Necklace increases to abundant. This could mean that something the limpet does causes Neptunes Necklace to decrease, as well as causing a lack of other organisms, such as feeding on other organisms food supply, or it could just mean limpets are in their optimum range in this zone, whereas other organisms are not because of some change in an abiotic factor such as salinity or temperature. Another observation about chitons was that there seemed to be a correlation between these molluscs and Intestine Weed. Where there was abundant and common numbers of the weed (5m and 27m respectively), there were no limpets, and vice versa. This also links in with the pattern of limpets, because chitons and limpets both seem to be abundant in the same zone, (15-20m from highwater mark). This suggests that in this zone there is a plentiful food supply for these molluscs (they are both filter feeders), or there is some other factor that makes this an ideal habitat for them, that isnt ideal for intestine weed. The rock pool with the highest amount of organisms was at 40m from the high water mark. This included everything from seaweed to sponges to crabs to snails and starfish. From this we can suggest that a lot of the organisms living on the Rocky Shore probably prefer less exposure to sunlight (because of the danger

of dessication), or that their food supply prefer less exposure, and so these organisms must also make their habitat where their food supply is. This would explain the large variety of organisms at the 40m from highwater mark, and also how a lot of the organisms are similarly abundant or less abundant at the 35m40m mark, and then are not observed in any other rock pools. This could be a exploitative relationship between predator and prey, where s the food supply increases the number of a particular predator will also increase. There was also an extreme value with the zigzag weed, which was found in the rock pools 5m and 40m from the highwater mark, but not in the rock pools between these. No other organism recorded follows this pattern so it is hard to discern the reason for this. It was likely an error, as the tolerance range of an organism should not usually go from one extreme to the other, as has happened here. The only other organism just living close to the high water mark was the shore crab, and this could be because its food source is intestine or zigzag weed, which was also present close to the high water mark. It could also be because it has a higher tolerance range for light and exposure to light, and so survives where possible predators (such as those organisms whos habitat is 35m -40m away from the high water mark) do not, making it easier for these shore crabs to survive.

Conclusion: From the observations about the distribution of the organisms in the Discussion, the most logical conclusion is that the tolerance and optimum range of many organisms on the Rocky Shore is around the 35m-40m from the highwater mark, probably because of abiotic factors such as the length of time exposed to light, or the lower temperature of the water further away from the highwater mark. Biotic factors also add to this, for example some organisms such as snails or crabs might only feed on organisms whos habitat is between 35m-40m from the highwater mark, and so must live in that zone as well. Other organisms, such as limpet or chitons, might also prevent other organisms from living in the one that suits their tolerance and optimum range, for example by eating all the food supply (ie an organism might compete for the same niche as limpets and lose, and so must stay in the 35m-40m zone). Lastly, there are some organisms that were observed close or moderately close to the high water mark, but this was mostly Neptunes Necklace, which was present in every rock pool. Other organisms close to the high water mark were the shore crab, which has probably adapted to survive in an area where there are not many predators, and its possible food source, the intestine and zigzag weeds. However most of the organisms were observed between the 35m-40m from high water mark.