Florida Morning Starlight

Taken at Coral Cove park these tidal pools hold deep reflections for the sky and ocean waters. Beyond that the first mornings light is emitting from... more

by Darleen Stry

Title

Florida Morning Starlight

Artist

Darleen Stry

Medium

Photograph - High Resoloution Photography

Description

Taken at Coral Cove park these tidal pools hold deep reflections for the sky and ocean waters. Beyond that the first mornings light is emitting from the Sun. Just above the clouds the sun sends bursts of light toward the Earth.
Here's some more information about the Coral cove park:
Coral Cove Park, also known as “Little Blowing Rocks”, is located on A1A on Jupiter Island. A small outcrop extends southward from the boardwalk. The small cliffs are notched, and small caves have formed. Large rock masses have collapsed in the surf. Planar bedding is present, and the rock is fossiliferous. Both small and large burrows create a highly bioturbated surface. Calcium carbonate crusts are present. Solution pipes and lithified infillings occur frequently. A double sea arch can been seen at most times, although at high tide it is largely covered by waves.

Here's some interesting information on tidal pools and their function:
Tidal pools exist in the intertidal zones. These zones receives spray from wave action during high tides and storms. At other times the rocks experience other extreme conditions, baking in the sun or exposed to cold winds. Few organisms can survive such harsh conditions. Lichens and barnacles live in this region.[1] In this zone, different barnacle species live at very tightly constrained elevations. Tidal conditions precisely determine the exact height of an assemblage relative to sea level.

The intertidal zone is periodically exposed to sun and wind, so it desiccates barnacles which need to be well adapted to water loss. Their calcite shells are impermeable, and they possess two plates which they slide across their mouth opening when not feeding. These plates also protect against predation.[verification needed]

[edit] High tide zone

The high tide zone is flooded during each high tide. Organisms must survive wave action, currents, and exposure to the sun. This zone is predominantly inhabited by seaweed and invertebrates, such as sea anemones, seastars, chitons, crabs, green algae, and mussels. Marine algae provide shelter for nudibranchs and hermit crabs. The same waves and currents that make the life in the high tide zone so difficult bring food to filter feeders and other intertidal organisms.







Low tide zone in a tide pool

[edit] Low tide zone

This subregion is mostly submerged, and is exposed only during low tide. It teems with life and has much more marine vegetation, especially seaweeds. There is also greater biodiversity. Organisms in this zone do not have to be as well adapted to drying out and temperature extremes. Low tide zone organisms include abalone, anemones, brown seaweed, chitons, crabs, green algae, hydroids, isopods, limpets, mussels, nudibranchs, sculpin, sea cucumber, sea lettuce, sea palms, sea stars, sea urchins, shrimp, snails, sponges, surf grass, tube worms, and whelks.

These creatures can grow to larger sizes because there is more available energy and better water coverage: The water is shallow enough to allow more light for photosynthetic activity, and the salinity is at almost normal levels. This area is also relatively protected from large predators because of the wave action and shallow water.


[edit] Life in the tide pool

Tide pools provide a home for hardy organisms such as sea stars, mussels and clams. Inhabitants must be able to cope with a constantly changing environment — fluctuations in water temperature, salinity, and oxygen content. Huge waves, strong currents, exposure to midday sun and predators are only a few of the hazards that tide pools' animals must endure to survive.

Waves can dislodge mussels and draw them out to sea. Gulls pick up and drop sea urchins to break them open. Starfish prey on mussels and are eaten by gulls themselves. Even black bears sometimes feast on intertidal creatures at low tide.[2] Although tide pool organisms must avoid getting washed away into the ocean, drying up in the sun, or getting eaten, they depend on the tide pool's constant changes for food.[1]

[edit] Fauna

The sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima produces clones of itself in order to reproduce through a process called longitudinal fission, in which the animal splits into two parts along its length.[3] The sea anemone Anthopleura sola often engages in territorial fights. The white tentacles (acrorhagi), which contain stinging cells, are for fighting. The sea anemones sting each other repeatedly until one moves.[4]

Some species of starfish have the ability to regenerate lost arms. Most species must retain an intact central part of the body to be able to regenerate, but a few can regrow from a single ray. The regeneration of these stars is possible because the vital organs are in the arms.[5]

[edit] Flora

Sea palms look very much as palm trees do. They live in the middle to upper intertidal zones in areas with greater wave action. High wave action may increase nutrient availability and moves the blades of the thallus, allowing more sunlight to reach the organism so that it can photosynthesize. In addition, the constant wave action removes competitors, such as the mussel species Mytilus californianus.

Recent studies have shown that Postelsia grows in greater numbers when such competition exists — a control group with no competition produced fewer offspring than an experimental group with mussels; from this it is thought that the mussels provide protection for the developing gametophytes.[6] Alternatively, the mussels may prevent the growth of competing algae such as Corallina or Halosaccion, allowing Postelsia to grow freely after wave action removes the mussels.[7]

Uploaded

December 2nd, 2012