Research/Project Results

Temperate Rainforest Biome

Taipa/Mangonui, Page 7

Conclusions and Final Thoughts

     All of the species on the rocky shore are in their own zone.  The tide is the reason why the species are in certain areas.  For example, species that can't survive without water for that lng live by the low tide mark.  The tide also moves species like shrimp.  They are spread all over the rocks.  When high tide comes they travel up and down the shore.

     Since mussels are black, they are found living closer to the water, since black absorbs heat, so they use the water to cool themselves down.  Barnacles have adapted to living further up the rocky shore.  They can do this since they are white, which reflects the sunlight more, so they don't need the water for cooling so much.

     Many of the animals are filter feeders, using plankton as a common food supply.  This means that they compete for space so that they can feed.  It was noticed that in areas where mussels were growing in abundance, the barnacles were not common.  Likewise, where  barnacles were common the mussels were largely absent.  This might indicate that they have each adapted to a particular area of the shore, to reduce interspecific competition.