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Marine Systems
How often when you were little did you pick up shells or chase crabs on the beach? Did you ever touch the tentacles of a sea anemone or count the arms on a sea star? Sandy beaches and rocky tidal zones are part of a marine ecosystem found at Redwood National and State Parks that is extremely diverse and yet very fragile.
Marine environments support a number of organisms that are able to adapt to sometimes harsh environments. Barnacles and mussels attach themselves to rocks where they are able to withstand the impact of strong waves. Sea urchins, sea stars, and sea anemones inhabit little pools in the intertidal areas where they cling to rocks as the tides moves in and out. Some of the most important organisms of any marine food web are phytoplankton. As phytoplankton grow more abundant they provide food for animals further up in the food chain. These small animals love the conditions near the coast in the summer months where there are plenty of nutrients and warm sunlight to use for photosynthesis.
Marine ecosystems are fragile environments that are being altered through pollution, development, and habitat destruction. The staff at Redwood National and State Parks inventory and monitor the marine habitats to establish where organisms live and their abundance. These short and long term studies will give them information about the effects of natural and human disturbances on marine systems.
Crater Lake NP | Oregon Caves NM | Redwood NP | Lassen Volcanic NP
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An Outreach and Education Project made possible by the National Park Service, Klamath Network Inventory and Monitoring and Southern Oregon University
