ABIOTIC Factors

That Affect The

Organisms in
z Intertidal Zones
&
Estuaries
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waves
 Refer to the movement of the surface of
the water
 These are strong forces that organism
must learn to live with it.
 Kelp, a kind of algae, has a strong root-
like structures that attaches itself to keep it
from being carried away by the waves
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salinity

 Refers to the amount of salt in water.

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temperature
 Refers to the level of hotness or coldness
of water
 It changes because of the tides and
amount of sunlight
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Amount of sunlight
 Since the intertidal zones and estuaries are
shallow compared to the seas, they are also
conducive for photosynthesis to take place.
 Algae, seaweeds, sea grasses and other
marine plants depend on the amount of
sunlight that they receive in the estuaries
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Types of soil
 The type of soil differ in the estuaries
depending on the strength of waves and kinds
of rock present in the area.
 Some area are full of rocks, sand, pebble or
clay.
 Since nutrients are found in the soil, these
types of soil have an effect on the kind of
living things that live in these ecosystem.
BIOTIC Factors That
Affect The
Organisms in
z Intertidal Zones
&
Estuaries
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Biotic factors in an ecosystem such as
intertidal zones and estuary are
composed of all plants, animals and
microorganisms living in it.

These organisms live in different

habitats found in intertidal zones and
estuaries. These includes coral reefs,
salt marshes, mudflats, rocky shores
and mangrove forest.
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Different Habitats Found

in Intertidal Zones and
Estuaries
 Coral Reef are areas of estuaries which part of
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the subtidal zone where biodiversity (flora & fauna)
is rich.
 Coral reefs provide shelter to thousands of fish.

 The coral themselves are animals that feed on

plankton.
 These corals form reefs that protect the coast from
strong waves and currents. However, coral reefs
are very sensitive. An abrupt change in water
temperature may cause death to sea animals.
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 Salt marshes are areas in the estuary that are
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filled with seawater during high tides and are drained
during low tides.
 They are marshy because they are filled with
decomposing plant matter.
 Organisms found I n salt marshes are clams, mussels,
oysters, crabs, snails and shrimps.
 Plant found in salt marshes are sea grasses and other
plants that are tolerant of saltwater.
 Salt –tolerant plants are called halophytes.
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 Mudflats or tidal flats are areas in estuaries

where mud from the sea or river is deposited.
 They usually the areas for migratory birds,
crabs, sand dollars, mussels, clams, mollusks,
shellfish and some fish.
 Algae, like sea lettuce and sea spaghetti,
provide food for the herbivores in this area.
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 Rocky
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shore are areas in estuaries where solid
rocks are found.
 Animals found in the rocky shores are plankton,
brittle stars, starfish, hermit crab, barnacles, limpets,
mollusks periwinkle, shore crabs, shrimps and
prawns.
 Since many of the organisms in rocky shores are
herbivores, seaweeds provide food for them.
 Large predators n the rocky shores are fish and
migratory birds
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 Mangrove forests are areas in the estuary that
are filled with mangrove trees.
 Mangrove protects the coasts against erosion
caused by waves, winds and tides.
 They also protect coral reefs and seagrass beds
from silting or deposition of sand.
 Mangrove forest also breeding grounds for
different kinds of fish and shellfish.
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