Habitats of the subtidal zone
KEY
- Shallow algae
- Kelp forest
- Sand flats and seagrass
- Barrens/coralline flats*
- Sponge gardens
- Sand flats and open water open water
* Barrens/coralline flats are rocky reef often covered with pink coralline algae; their barren appearance is caused by sea urchins grazing on other types of algae.
Artist: Christine Rockley 2023
Below the intertidal zone, Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve has a variety of habitats.
Some of these extend from the intertidal habitats, such as the sandy beach and the boulder fields, but are modified by algae or seagrass or sponges and are influenced by depth, light, wave exposure and grazing herbivores.
Most macroalgae (seaweed) attach with their holdfast (a root-like structure) to a hard surface such as rocky reefs or boulders. The different types of algae create different habitats for other marine life.
