Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island
The interaction of biological and physical processes has resulted in distinct morphological and biological zonation across the Subarctic macrotidal tidal flats at the head of Frobisher Bay. The tidal flats have been divided into six morphological zones which are closely related to the three biologic...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Other Authors: | , |
Language: | English |
Published: |
1982
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17558 |
id |
ftmcmaster:oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/17558 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftmcmaster:oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/17558 2023-05-15T15:35:24+02:00 Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island Dale, Janis Elaine McCann, S. B. Geography 1982-08 http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17558 en eng http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17558 geography physical biological zonation subarctic tidal flat Frobisher Bay Baffin Island 1982 ftmcmaster 2022-03-22T21:13:05Z The interaction of biological and physical processes has resulted in distinct morphological and biological zonation across the Subarctic macrotidal tidal flats at the head of Frobisher Bay. The tidal flats have been divided into six morphological zones which are closely related to the three biological communities found there. Faunal species of the Upper Flat inhabit the beach and fines flat morphological zones where ice action during breakup and freezeup has the greatest influence. Species inhabiting these zones are hardy, and freshwater tolerant. Many are highly motile and recolonize the area after ice breakup. The Middle Flat extends from 5.0 m ALLT to 2.2 m ALLT. It is inhabited by motile polychaetes at its upper end (bouldery flat >4.5 m ALLT). with more sedentary species appearing towards its lower end (very bouldery flat). Below 2.2 m ALLT, on the Lower graded flat, sedentary infauna such as Cyrtodaria kurriana, Mya truncata and sabellid polychaetes, dominate the substrate. The three major processes acting on the tidal flats are, in order of importance, tidal, ice and wave action. Exposure indices, generated from tidal data, reveal 2 critical tidal heights at around 4 m and 7.5 m ALLT, in Frobisher Bay. The boundary between motile and less motile fauna, and bouldery and very bouldery morphological zones, occurs around 4.0 m ALLT. Of the flora and fauna only Fucus evanescens is found beyond the 7.5 m ALLT limit. Thesis Master of Science (MSc) Other/Unknown Material Baffin Island Baffin Frobisher Bay Subarctic MacSphere (McMaster University) Baffin Island Frobisher Bay ENVELOPE(-66.581,-66.581,62.834,62.834) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
MacSphere (McMaster University) |
op_collection_id |
ftmcmaster |
language |
English |
topic |
geography physical biological zonation subarctic tidal flat Frobisher Bay Baffin Island |
spellingShingle |
geography physical biological zonation subarctic tidal flat Frobisher Bay Baffin Island Dale, Janis Elaine Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island |
topic_facet |
geography physical biological zonation subarctic tidal flat Frobisher Bay Baffin Island |
description |
The interaction of biological and physical processes has resulted in distinct morphological and biological zonation across the Subarctic macrotidal tidal flats at the head of Frobisher Bay. The tidal flats have been divided into six morphological zones which are closely related to the three biological communities found there. Faunal species of the Upper Flat inhabit the beach and fines flat morphological zones where ice action during breakup and freezeup has the greatest influence. Species inhabiting these zones are hardy, and freshwater tolerant. Many are highly motile and recolonize the area after ice breakup. The Middle Flat extends from 5.0 m ALLT to 2.2 m ALLT. It is inhabited by motile polychaetes at its upper end (bouldery flat >4.5 m ALLT). with more sedentary species appearing towards its lower end (very bouldery flat). Below 2.2 m ALLT, on the Lower graded flat, sedentary infauna such as Cyrtodaria kurriana, Mya truncata and sabellid polychaetes, dominate the substrate. The three major processes acting on the tidal flats are, in order of importance, tidal, ice and wave action. Exposure indices, generated from tidal data, reveal 2 critical tidal heights at around 4 m and 7.5 m ALLT, in Frobisher Bay. The boundary between motile and less motile fauna, and bouldery and very bouldery morphological zones, occurs around 4.0 m ALLT. Of the flora and fauna only Fucus evanescens is found beyond the 7.5 m ALLT limit. Thesis Master of Science (MSc) |
author2 |
McCann, S. B. Geography |
author |
Dale, Janis Elaine |
author_facet |
Dale, Janis Elaine |
author_sort |
Dale, Janis Elaine |
title |
Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island |
title_short |
Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island |
title_full |
Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island |
title_fullStr |
Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island |
title_full_unstemmed |
Physical and Biological Zonation of Subarctic Tidal Flats at Frobisher Bay, Southeast Baffin Island |
title_sort |
physical and biological zonation of subarctic tidal flats at frobisher bay, southeast baffin island |
publishDate |
1982 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17558 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-66.581,-66.581,62.834,62.834) |
geographic |
Baffin Island Frobisher Bay |
geographic_facet |
Baffin Island Frobisher Bay |
genre |
Baffin Island Baffin Frobisher Bay Subarctic |
genre_facet |
Baffin Island Baffin Frobisher Bay Subarctic |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17558 |
_version_ |
1766365742498840576 |