Intertidal, Subtidal and Beach Ecosystems
As with the other ecosystems of the Gulf, where communities of organisms thrive despite extreme conditions, here too, one can find a colorful community with its own set of adaptations to the set of tidal extremes. A very successful behavioral adaptation to desiccation is burrowing (making holes/homes in the sediment/sand) in deeper, moister depths. Swimming crabs are masters in digging up burrows and pushing off sand with their claws, not only to make their home in, but to quickly hide themselves from lurking predators like herons. Vertical movement is also used by photosynthetic cyanobacteria in microbial mats that most lusciously line the intertidal and subtidal areas of Khor Al Adaid. This movement can only be perceived by time-lapse microscopy, where cyanobacterial filaments move in any each direction to find optimum light and oxygen levels, and to untrap themselves from sand particles brought on by the tide. Cyanobacteria also produce a dark pigment called scytonemin, similar to our sun-screen lotions, which helps protect them from the rays of the sun at low tide. Gastropods (sea snails) of many species, that feed on microbial mats as part of their diet, perform horizontal migration, which is again in sync with the tidal cycle.
Other Information
Published in: Earthna publications reports
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
See educational resource on publisher's website: https://www.earthna.qa/publications/educational-materials/qatar-marine-ecosystem-lesson-plans
Project Identifier (PI): EEF-2023-003
History
Language
- English
Publisher
Earthna in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC)Publication Year
- 2023
License statement
This Item is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.Institution affiliated with
- Earthna
- Qatar Foundation
- Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
- Qatar Green Building Council