This morning (24 April 2023) we were finishing some surveys at a site with lots of wave splash. In this case that means the intertidal zonation is clearly demarcated and the zones extend very high on the rocks.
For example, on the left, the brownish coloration is made up of seaweeds (primarily Pyropia and Pelvetiopsis), the dark blue areas are California Mussels (Mytilus californianus), and below that is a band of surfgrass (Phyllospadix scouleri) and coralline algae (some of it is bleached, likely by warm or desiccating conditions, so it's paler than usual).
In this view there was also a nice flock of Surfbirds (Calidris virgata) foraging in the zone above the mussels.
No comments:
Post a Comment