tidal zonation

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the pattern of distinct horizontal bands of species and communities distributed across the intertidal zone in response to the gradient of physical stresses imposed by varying degrees of tidal submergence and aerial exposure, producing characteristic assemblages of organisms at each elevation that reflect the tolerance of each species to desiccation, temperature extremes, wave action, and the duration and frequency of tidal immersion; the supralittoral fringe above the high-tide mark is dominated by splash-resistant lichens and periwinkles, the eulittoral zone between tide marks supports barnacles, mussels, limpets, and algae in species-specific elevation bands, while the sublittoral fringe at the low-tide margin supports kelps, sea anemones, and diverse invertebrates that require frequent submergence; tidal zonation is one of the most visually striking manifestations of physical gradients shaping ecological community structure