Living on Australian shores is hazardous for the animals and algae that occur there. At high tide, this environment may be battered by waves while prey-seeking predators roam at all shore levels.

At low tide, algae and animals are baked by the sun and sometimes drenched by salt-free rainwater. Because high-tide levels vary from day to day and during the month, some fixed creatures high on the shore may not be wetted for days, or even weeks at a time.

How can they live here? What remarkable adaptations and behaviours enable these organisms to thrive in a habitat which looks at first to be so inhospitable?

Purpose of the Life on Australian Shores Web Site

This Web Site explores the coastal environments, animals and algae found on the rocky ocean and associated sand and mud shores in the five major biogeographical zones around Australia.

Navigation

The Main Navigation panel is on the right. Click on any of the headings to explore the different topics concerning Life on Australian Shores.

There is a Main Navigation Group which is normally at the bottom. This group of Major Topic Headings occurs on every page in the website.

The top navigation set is the Local Group of Topics related to the theme of the page being viewed. This changes frequently, depending upon where you are in the website. There are about 150 topics grouped into 37 sets in this website so far.

This site is undergoing continuing development. If you have suggestions for its improvement, or you would like to see other features, contact Keith Davey at the email address below. Bookmark and revisit this site at regular intervals.

Home Page
Taxonomy
Biogeography
Rocky Shores
Tidal Levels
Intertidal Zonation
Environmental Factors
Biological Factors
Feeding Relationships
Activities
Glossary
References