Intertidal

The intertidal zone is separated into 5 different areas known as the splash zone (barren, rocky, never immersed only exposed to sea spray), upper intertidal zone (immersed only at high tide), lower intertidal zone (exposed only at low tide), tide pools (permanent collections of water influences by tides), and sub tidal zone (always submerged, includes many tide pools). In each location it provides a habitat and food for all different types of marine and land animals. There are many adaptations that these animals in each zone must use to help it survive in its specific environment such as camouflage, poison, mobility, and much more.

We were at Waipuilani on Maui, HI comparing the lower intertidal zone and the sub tidal zone to see in which location there would be more pipipi. When we went out to Waipuilani we performed two trials counting the number of pipipi in a quadrant in the intertidal and sub tidal zones and also figured out the temperature and salinity.

After collecting all of our data on September 12, 2007 at 8:01am with a low tide we found out many interesting things. We found out that the lower intertidal zone has more pipipi than the sub tidal zone. The average of the number of pipipi found in the lower intertidal zone from all two trials that we performed was 65/m2. And the average of the number pipipi found in the sub tidal zone from all two trials that we performed was 2/m2.

This is a graph showing the results.


Tammy taking a picture with a pipipi suctioned to her hand.

Travis counting up the number of pipipi in a quadrant in the lower intertidal zone.

This is a video clip of Waipuilani.