The intertidal zone, also known as the seashore, is the area where land and sea meet. This zone is covered with water at high tide, and exposed to air at low tide. The land in this zone can be rocky, sandy or covered in mudflats. Within the intertidal zone, there are several zones starting near dry land with the splash zone, an area that is usually dry, and moving down to the littoral zone, which is usually underwater. You will find tide pools, puddles left in the rocks as water recedes when the tide goes out.
The intertidal zone is home to a wide variety of organisms such as sea anemones, sea stars, various types of crabs, barnacles and mollusks. Organisms in this zone have many adaptations that allow them to survive in this challenging, ever-changing environment.
Plastics, pollution, coastal development and warming temperatures are some of the many challenges threatening this unique and diverse habitat.