Organisms of A Tidepool

﷯Enigmatic coral seaweed also known as the Bossiella frondescens, gets it coral-like appearance because of its calcified algae. A tightly encrusting layer form upright branches with the tips being the most detailed.

﷯Bull Kelp also known as the Nereocystis luetkeana, use their blades to optimize the balance between light interception and hydrodynamic drag in the ocean. Their anchors help protect it from torque due to flexibility. The dominant kelp species along the Oregon Coast reproduces by releasing swimming spores into the water.

﷯Eel Grass also known as Zostera marina, grows in clumps and can form extensive underwater beds or meadows. Eelgrass beds are always completely submerged and their roots anchor to sandy or muddy bottoms. Unlike seaweed or algae, eelgrass is a flowering plant.

﷯Brown Algae also known as Phaeophyceae, help create habitats for surrounding species. Most brown algae commonly grow along rocky seashores like the Oregon Coast.

﷯Feather Boa Kelp also known as Egregia menziesii, is native to the western coast of North America and can be found from Alaska to Baja California. Kelp is part of the seaweed family, the first organism in the marine food chain. Seaweed contains chlorophyll, allowing it to gather light underwater for photosynthesis. Seaweed gardens can serve as an underwater solar city, harnessing the power of light to create food and the building structure for other organisms.

﷯Hermit Crab also known the Pagurus samuelis, make their by slipping their soft abdomen into empty shells. A crab too large for its shell reveals its body to predators. When the shell is too large, a crab can withdraw so far that you can’t see it.

﷯Ribbed Limpets also known as the Lottia digitalis, feed on algae during the night and rest in shallow depressions in rocks during the day. During low tide, limpets clamp down on rocks, protecting themselves from water and predators.

﷯Rockweed also known as Fucus gardneri, is a type of kelp that inhabits the shores of the Pacific Coast. The plant contains air bubbles as a trademark characteristic, and these serve as part of the reproductive system. The conditions for reproduction among Rockweed is specific, where it has been found that reproduction usually occurs during low-tide.

﷯Sculpin part of the Cottidae family feature mottled patterns that cover the entire body providing effective camouflage at the bottom of tidepools. They tend to rest and hide quietly, but are able to dash to a new location when disturbed.

﷯Sea Lettuce also known as Ulva lactuca, thrives on the upper beach, an area frequently exposed to both air and hot sun. They rehydrate when the tides return, and are tolerant of exposure to fresh water and cold temperatures.

﷯Acorn Barnacles also known as the Balanus glandula, opens its doors and extend feathers to feed on plankton and detritus when the sea returns to the barnacle’s home. The barnacles close its doors to protect from drying out and potential predators. Acorn barnacles attach to anything hard including driftwood, mussels, black turban snails, and even the back of crabs.

﷯Gooseneck Barnacles also known as the Pollicipes polymerus, feed on plankton and detritus in the same way as acorn barnacles. Their tough shells allow them to live in rougher waters. The long slits between the halves are parallel to the main water current.

﷯Purple Shore Crab also known as the Hemigrapsus nudus, can hold water in their body underwater and let it breathe above water during rain and runoff. Their diet consists of diatoms, desmids, and green algae and sometimes snails and barnacles.

﷯Frilled Anemone also known as Metridium senile, has a base considerably wider than the column. The column is long, smooth and cylindrical lubricated with mucus. These anemones favor habitats with strong currents and the underside of large boulders. They catch small organisms that float by in the current. The diet largely consists of copepods and various larvae.

﷯Sea Sac also known as the Halosaccion glandiforme, resemble clusters of inflated rubber glove fingers that are usually filled with water, but sometimes deflate. The fingers attach to rocks via small disc-shaped holdfasts. The long and narrow water-filled sacs protect the species from high energy waves as well as desiccation.

﷯Ochre sea star also know as the Pisaster ochraceus, are a keystone species. If starfish were removed from an ecosystem, no other species could replace its role, forcing a drastic change in the ecosystem. In recent years 95% of star fish disappeared from the ocean from sea star wasting syndrome. The numbers have been restored to a healthy amount, but scientists are unsure of their future.

﷯Giant Green Anemone also known as Anthopleura xanthogrammica, are commonly found along the Oregon coast at low tide. Species like sea anemones serve as indicators of ocean health. Sea anemones close up when touched by other creatures or strong currents. They are carnivorous creatures who prey on mussels, crabs, and even star fish.

﷯Dungeness crab also known as Metacarcinus magister, is a species of crab that can typically be found on the western coasts of North America. They play an important role in the ecosystem as they feed off of animal parts as well as decaying plants at the bottom of the ocean. They are also an important food source for many sea mammals and birds.

﷯Sea Urchin also known as the Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, may not be especially sharp but are strong enough to wear away bits of rock. Over time, generations of urchins form the shallow pits they live in. They munch on kelp with a five-toothed mouth on their underside.

﷯Bladderwrack Seaweed also known as the Fucus vesiculosus, feature colors ranging from olive-green to brown. The floating bladders helps the plant stand straight in the water. The seaweed attaches to mussels, stones or other objects, and can grow up to 0.5 meters long.

﷯Blue Mussels also know as the Mytilus edulis, is a medium sized mussel that attaches to rocks and other hard substrates by using strong thread-like structures called byssal threads. Blue mussels help remove bacteria and toxins in their ecosystems.

All images from Science & Memory Oregon Coast students and faculty. Ocean Science Resources by SOJC and OIMB student Becky Hoag. Interactivity and Design by Justin Hartney.

Beneath the water along the rugged Oregon coast, lay thousands of little worlds. Seaweeds create underwater solar gardens that feed the population for these six feet wide cities. The vibrant colors of tide pools contrast the darker tones of the coast. Beachgoers shoes squish anemones that squirt out water. Crabs crawl in the rockholes when they notice the presence of potential danger. The communities of tide pools function as a unit; organisms provide nutrients for each other. The health of a tide pool represents the health of our planet.

43° 18' 17.4564'' N 124° 24' 3.7332'' W