Tide pools are left behind after high tide. Organisms living in tide pools have to be able to withstand crashing waves.
Along the rocky coast of California, there are many places where tidal pools can form. Tidal pools occur when the retreating tide leaves behind puddles of water in rocks, which it covers up once more at high tide. One of the most commonly observed organisms in California tidal pools is seaweed, which is the common name for a whole range of marine algae.
Brown Algae
Rockweed (Silvetta compressa) is one form of brown algae commonly found in the tide pools of California. It can grow up to 36 inches long, and acts as a habitat for many of the animals living in tide pools. Feather boa kelp (Egregia menziesii) is found in tidal pools in the low intertidal zone, and is one of the more common types of algae found in Santa Barbara, California.
Green Algae
There are a few types of green algae commonly found in California tide pools. Sea lettuce (Ulva sp.) is often found in the high intertidal zone, meaning that it does well without complete submersion in the ocean. Sea fingers, or dead man's fingers, (Codium fragile) prefer lower intertidal zones, and complete immersion in tidal pools. Sea fingers, despite their size of up to 16 inches, are single-celled organisms.
Red Algae
While green and brown algae can look very similar, red algae often has a distinct deep red color. Staghorn fringe (Ceramium codicola) is a red algae that only grows on the green algae sea fingers. There are also a number of red algae species, known mainly by their scientific names, that are fairly common in California tidal pools. These include Botryoglossum farlowianum, Candrocanthus sp. and Eryrthrophyllum delesseriodes.
More Species
In addition to the very visible seaweed algae, the spongy green coating that many tidal pool enthusiasts in California find themselves slipping dangerously on is algae. Also, there are well over a hundred distinct seaweed species that have been identified along the coast of California. Some have been discovered very recently, and more species continue to appear all along the coast.
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