Water Currents
Environmental Factors

For a population of organisms to be able to continue to exist on any given shore, there must be an overall circular pattern to the ocean currents over time. If the organism's offspring are tiny plankton, it is necessary for them to be delivered back to a particular shore. If not, the species must become extinct on that shore.

Around Australia there are a number of major currents which influence coastal waters and the animal and algae plankton that are dependent upon them for transportation to a suitable habitat for growth and reproduction.

Some of these currents are:

Map from
"Coastal and Marine Ecology of Temperate Australia"
edited by A.J. Underwood & M.G. Chapman.
UNSW Press, Chap.3 Planktonic Processes p.35

References

Bennett, I. (1987) W. J. Dakin's classic study: Australian Seashores. p. 3-12, Angus & Robertson, Sydney.

Davey, K. (1998) A Photographic Guide to Seashore Life of Australia. p.8, New Holland, Sydney.

Environmental Factors
Latitude
Currents
Wind Effects
Wave Strength
Tidal Effects
Desiccation
Substrate
Turbidity
Salinity

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