Marine, intertidal, bedrock, semi-protected, eulittoral
Many areas in the northern Puget Trough receive neither oceanic swell nor extensive wind fetch, but retain their rocky character due to steepness of the shore or currents that sweep away most sediment. Examples are the inside waters of the San Juan Islands, where there is not enough freshwater input for sites to be categorized as Estuarine. Siltation, desiccation, and temperature stresses all take their toll on rocky-shore organisms in these areas, and diversity is correspondingly low relative to more wave-exposed coastal sites.
Habitat attributes
Class ID:
3
Class name:
Marine, intertidal, bedrock, semi-protected, eulittoral
Length:
123.0 km (in WA)
Primary substrate:
Bedrock
Secondary substrate:
Boulder
Tertiary substrate:
Gravel
Substrate stability:
Stable
Substrate key details:
No sediment
Wave exposure:
Semi-protected
Blue book classes:
Marine intertidal rock: Semi-protected and protected
Map/survey site examples:
Sites in inner San Juan Islands
Fish sampling sites:
Diagnostic species:
- Fucus distichus
- Mastocarpus papillatus
- Nucella lamellosa
- Littorina
- Balanidae
- Lottia
- Oligocottus maculosus
- Clinocottus globiceps
Species notes:
Habitat classification system:
Type:
Map link: