Rock Pooling: Rockpooling destination: North Shetland, September 2014

Friday, 24 October 2014

Rockpooling destination: North Shetland, September 2014

On exposed shores the salt water spray can reach far up the shore, resulting in an extended splash zone (supralittoral zone), that is characterized by yellow and grey lichens. Terrestrial plants also occur within crevices of the rock.

Habitat classification:

Substrate
Habitat	FLR (Features of littoral rock)
Biotope complex	LR.FLR.Lic (Lichens on supralittoral rock)
Biotope	LR.FLR.Lic.YG Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock

EUNIS habitat: Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock (code: B3.111)

Below are images of organisms you may encounter in this haitat:

The rocky out crop at the top of the shore, receives enough salt water spray to support a community of lichens and sea pinks.Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Lic.YG Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock

Yellow, grey and the black lichen Verrucaria maura cover the rock, whilst sea pinks grow in the crevices.

A grey lichen, black shields(Tephromela atra)

A grey lichen, black shields (Tephromela atra)

The yellow lichen, Xanthoria parietina

A grey lichen, possible Parelle (Ochrolechia parella)

Grey lichens of the supralittoral

Lichens of the supralittoral

A brown lichen

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Rock Pooling Etiquette

Rock pooling is a fun and fascinating activity and it is important to respect the marine organisms you encounter.

The best time to go rock pooling is at low tide when the intertidal zone is exposed. The intertidal zone is the area of the shore that is covered and exposed by the sea as it rises and falls. It experiences daily fluctuations in environmental conditions and the creatures that live there will have
positioned themselves to reduce the extremes they must endure. Therefore it is important to return creatures to the place that you found them and to return any boulders or seaweeds you may have overturned in your pursuit.