Rocky Shore

A rocky shore is an intertidal stretch of seacoast where solid rock predominates rather than sand or mud, formed and continually reshaped where wave action meets a bedrock coastline. Tidal exposure divides it into zones, from the supralittoral fringe above the reach of most tides down through the littoral zone to the sublittoral zone below the low tide mark, each subject to different degrees of wave force, temperature swings, salinity change and drying between tides. The physical rigor of the setting supports a biologically rich and heavily studied range of intertidal life, whose inhabitants rely on mucous layers, shells and holdfasts to withstand wave energy and desiccation. Rocky shores are also vulnerable to human impacts such as oil spills and accumulated debris from nearby tourism.