Ecosystems in Land-Water

Interface
LAND-WATER INTERFACE
● The land-water interface
is an area where terrestrial
and aquatic environments
are both found and are
interacting with each other.

Land-water interface ecosystems

are vulnerable to fluctuations
LAND-WATER INTERFACE
● Ecosystems in this include
the intertidal zones,
rockpools, mangrove
forests, and salt marshes.

Rockpools are an example of land-

water interface ecosystem
INTERTIDAL ZONES
● These ecosystems are
located on the shore
between the highest high
tide marks and lowest low
tide mark.

● It includes the sandy

beaches, mudflats,
Intertidal zones are delineated by
rockpools, and rocky shores.
high- and low-tide marks
INTERTIDAL ZONES
● Zonations of Intertidal Zones

○ Splash zone: almost never

covered by water, but wet
because of constant water
splashing
○ Upper intertidal zone: only
covered by water during
high tides
Different rock colors in the
intertidal zone
INTERTIDAL ZONES
● Zonations of Intertidal Zones

○ Lower intertidal zone:

usually covered by water
except when tides are very
low
○ Subtidal zone: always
covered by water even when
tides are low
Different rock colors in the
intertidal zone
INTERTIDAL ZONES
● Abiotic Factors

○ Rapidly varying light, amount

of water, and temperature

○ Strong waves and constant

currents have to be
withstood by the organisms.
Waves play an important role in
shaping shoreline ecosystem
INTERTIDAL ZONES
● Biotic Factors

○ Adaptations for the

pressures of wave
action and varies with
the zone where the
organism is located.

Barnacles and shelled molluscs can

withstand strong waves
INTERTIDAL ZONES
● Biotic Factors

○ Breeding grounds for

some migratory fish
species

○ Feeding ground for semi-

aquatic organisms
Intertidal zones can be feeding
grounds during low tides
SALT MARSHES
● These are found in estuarine
areas in the higher latitudes
usually far from the equator.

● Dominant species include

herbaceous plants,
particularly of the genus
Spartina.
A salt marsh dominated by
the grass Spartina
SALT MARSHES
● Tidal creeks are present in
salt marshes and are
affected by daily tidal
fluctuations.

A tidal creek that is subject

to tidal variations
MANGROVE FORESTS
● These are forests in the
estuarine areas at lower
latitudes.

● The dominant vegetation

include the different
species of mangrove Mangrove communities are low-
trees. latitude forests in estuaries
MANGROVE FORESTS
● Mangrove species in a
mangrove forest vary with
their distance from the
shore.

● Genera of Philippine
mangroves include
Avicennia, Rhizophora, and
Mangrove trees are adapted to high
Sonneratia.
salinity and anoxic substrate
MANGROVE FORESTS
● Waters in these areas are
shallow, thus temperature
is ambient, and it is greatly
affected by sunlight.

● Tides also significantly

affect nutrient flow, O2
availability, temperature, Mangrove trees are adapted to high
pH, and salinity. salinity and anoxic substrate
 The land-water interface is an area where terrestrial
1 and aquatic environments are both found.

Salt marshes, intertidal zones, and mangrove forests

2 are common in the land-water interface.

The abiotic factors of these areas are usually

3 dependent on tides.
DETERMINE THE TERM BEING IDENTIFIED IN
EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS BELOW.
1. This is a zone of the intertidal ecosystem that is almost never
covered by water, except for some wetting by splashing.
2. This is a zone of the intertidal ecosystem that is only covered when
tides are very high.
3. This is a zone of the intertidal ecosystem that is always covered by
water even when tides are very low.
4. This is a zone of the intertidal ecosystem that is only dry when the
tides are very low.
5. Organisms in this zone of the intertidal ecosystems are the most
resistant to dehydration.
WHY ARE THE OTHER
ABIOTIC FACTORS OF THE
WATERS IN MANGROVE
FORESTS AND SALT
MARSHES HIGHLY
AFFECTED BY SUNLIGHT?