![]() ![]() The intertidal zone on sandier shores is not as stratified as in the rocky areas. At the bottom of the intertidal zone, which is only exposed during the lowest tides, many invertebrates, fishes, and seaweed can be found. In those areas usually submerged during high tide, there is a more diverse array of algae and small animals, such as herbivorous snails, crabs, sea stars, and small fishes. Where only the highest tides reach, there are only a few species of algae and mollusks. On rocky coasts, the zone is stratified vertically. Because of this, the communities are constantly changing. The intertidal zone is where the ocean meets the land sometimes it is submerged and at other times exposed, as waves and tides come in and out. Some say that the ocean contains the richest diversity of species even though it contains fewer species than there are on land. All four zones have a great diversity of species. Like ponds and lakes, the ocean regions are separated into separate zones: intertidal, pelagic, abyssal, and benthic. ![]() The largest of all the ecosystems, oceans are very large bodies of water that dominate the Earth's surface. The evaporation of the seawater provides rainwater for the land. Marine algae supply much of the world's oxygen supply and take in a huge amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide. ![]() Marine regions cover about three-fourths of the Earth's surface and include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. Reef fish and coral off Eniwetok atoll in the central Pacific. ![]()
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