infralittoral fringe

views updated May 29 2018

infralittoral fringe In marine ecology, a term sometimes used to distinguish the intertidal region exposed only at the lowest, i.e. equinoctial, tides. It lies between the medio- and circalittoral zones. In the more widely used shore zonation scheme, it corresponds to a transitional area between the littoral and sublittoral zones. In this zone Zostera species are very characteristic plants on soft substrates. The brown seaweeds (Laminaria species) start to become abundant in this zone.

infralittoral fringe

views updated Jun 08 2018

infralittoral fringe In marine ecology, a term sometimes used to distinguish the intertidal region exposed only at the lowest (i.e. equinoctial) tides. It lies between the medio- and circalittoral zones. In the more widely used shore zonation scheme it corresponds to a transitional area between the littoral and sublittoral zones. In this zone Zostera species are very characteristic plants on soft substrates. The brown seaweeds (Laminaria species) start to become abundant in this zone.

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