Intertidal Zone Temperatures Math
The temperature of each zone represents a cyclic pattern over a twenty four hour period figure 1.
Intertidal zone temperatures math. The low temperatures which occur during the night time hours dips to about 75 degrees f. In most intertidal zones seawater temperatures are relatively stable throughout the year and from day to night compared with the potentially highly variable temperatures of freshwater and aerially exposed habitats. The major weather patterns all depend on where you are located. The temperature of the intertidal zone is extremely variable depending on the time of day and the status of the tide.
Temperatures in intertidal zones can fluctuate wildly depending on the time of day and whether or not the tide is in or out. Thus fishes living high in the rocky intertidal or in the freshwater seawater mixing zone of estuaries can be exposed to extremely large temperature changes during a tidal cycle. Such fluctuations in temperature impose a substantial physiological stressor on the various species which reside within the intertidal zone. It is common for the temperature to change by as much as 20 c within a time span as short as six hours.
Within the intertidal zone you ll find tide pools puddles left in the rocks as water recedes when the tide goes out. The yellow zone temperature is more constant 80 85 degrees f during the time it is. The temperature of the intertidal zone is extremely variable depending on the time of day and the status of the tide. Figure 1 intertidal zone temperatures for all four zones yellow gray black and white over the study period.
The average range of air temperature is from 75 f to 102 f. Beaches like these are classic examples of intertidal zones but intertidal zones can vary substantially. Temperatures can go up or down as much as 20 degrees celsius with a quarter of a day. It is common for the temperature to change by as much as 20 c within a time span as short as six hours.
The intertidal zone does have seasons. The weather in the intertidal areas can be extreme. The inter tidal zone has hot and humid summers moderate springs and falls and cool harsh winters.