IGCSE Marine science 5.5 Sandy and muddy beaches

Syllabus:

Candidates should be able to: 

1 Describe the zones of typical sandy and muddy shores 

 limited to: 

(a) supratidal zone 

(b) intertidal zone 

(c) subtidal zone

2 compare the features of sandy and muddy shores 

(a) sediment size

(b) sedimentation rates compared to erosional rates

(c) stability 

(d) gradient 

(e) water movement 

(f) oxygen availability including: 

3 state that environmental factors affect the distribution of organisms on a sandy shore 

a) biotic factors • predation • food availability

 (b) abiotic factors • unstable substrate • air temperature • exposure (air and wind)

4 describe how organisms are adapted to live on a sandy shore including: 

 including: 

(a) clams

• use muscular foot to burrow 

(b) lugworms

 • live in U-shaped burrows 

• specialised haemoglobin to absorb oxygen in a low-oxygen environment 

• ingest sand to digest the microorganisms within the sediment

My video for the AS syllabuys might also be usefull