X. B. Nearshore Classification Systems |
SYSTEM |
SUBSTRATE |
WAVE ENERGY |
DEPTH |
PLANTS |
| Marine-intertidal | rock | exposed, partially exposed, semi-protected | eulittoral | rockweed, algae, kelps, surfgrass |
| rock | all exposures | backshore | algae | |
| cobble | partially exposed | algae | ||
| mixed-coarse | semi-protected exposed | seasonal drift algae | ||
| gravel | partially exposed | none | ||
| gravel | semi-protected | algae | ||
| sand | exposed, partially exposed | none | ||
| sand | semi-protected, protected | eelgrass, algae | ||
| mixed-fines | semi-protected, protected | eelgrass, algae | ||
| mud | protected | eelgrass, algae | ||
| Marine-subtidal | mixed-coarse | mod to low energy | shallow | surfgrass, eelgrass, algae |
| gravel | high energy | shallow | ||
| mixed-fines | moderate to high energy | shallow | algae | |
| mud, mixed-fines | low energy | shallow | algae | |
| Estuarine-intertidal | rock, hardpan | open | algae | |
| mixed-coarse | open | eulittoral | algae; often eelgrass beds lie just subtidally of these beaches | |
| gravel | partly enclosed | eulittoral (marsh) | pickleweed, saltwort, rockweed | |
| sand | open | open | eelgrass, gracilaria | |
| sand, mixed fines, mud | partly enclosed lagoon | eulittoral (marsh) | vascular plants, bulrush, sedge, pickleweed (depending on salinity) | |
| mud | partly enclosed, enclosed | eelgrass | ||
| organic, sand, mixed-fines, mud | partly closed, partly enclosed | backshore (marsh) | sedge, grasses, vascular plant (species depending on salinity), high marsh plants | |
| mixed-fines, mud | channel/slough | eelgrass, lined with marsh plants | ||
| Estuarine-subtidal | rock, cobble | open | shallow | algae |
| sand | open | shallow | eelgrass | |
| mixed-fines | open | shallow | eelgrass, algae, kelp | |
| mud | open | shallow | eelgrass, algae | |
| mud | partly enclosed | shallow | ||
| sand, mud | channels |
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