Life between tide-marshes in North America: I. The Florida Keys
Stephenson TA and Stephenson A. 1950. Life between tide-marshes in North America: I. The Florida Keys. Journal of Ecology. 38(2):354-402
The Florida keys are a chain of low islands curving south-westward from the southern end of the Florida peninsula, over a shallow, heavily sedimented submarine plateau fringed along its eastern edge by a weak and mainly submerged barrier reef. Along the shores of the more northerly keys are considerable tracts of intertidal rock representing the raised remains of a Pleistocene coral reef. The rock appears very arid but repays closer study. The general distribution and zonation of common plants and animals on some of these rocky areas is here described for the first time. The zonation, at first sight very peculiar, can be related to that which prevails in other parts of the world, showing local modifications connected with the topography of the low but much dissected intertidal rocky platforms; the very shallow, heavily sedimented inshore sea-floor; and the restricted wave-action. Its distinctive features are summarized on p. 397. The intertidal fauna and flora are tropical (not subtropical) in nature, and very distinct from those of the Atlantic coast of northern Florida and the Carolinas, and parts of the Gulf of Mexico, which are to be classed as warm-temperate. Several aspects of the intertidal ecology are discussed, but for further detail reference must be made to the text; for table of contents, see p. 354.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Stephenson, T; Stephenson, Anne
- Units
- BISC
- Keywords
- Algae, Benthos, Biota, Coral, Ecological Survey, Ecology, epibenthic, Florida Reef Tract , Geology, Littoral Zone, Species Composition, Species Distribution