Intertidal ecosystems are optimal ecological models, especially in the case of the tidepools that occur on rocky coastlines. On the pacific coast of Panama, Semidiurnal tides drain the water from large areas, resulting in the formation of tide pools. These pools can be considered refuges, but are still prone to a variety of fluctuations in physical characteristics that can influence the survival and recruitment of their inhabitants. This study surveys a lesser-studied portion of rocky tidepool ecology in Panama, where the tropical aspects of the ecosystem provide different accommodations than in temperate zones. A quadrat sampling method was used to analyze the abundance of organisms within the tidepools a 340 meter length of rocky coastline on Playa Venao, on the Pacific side of Panama. The assemblage data was then compared against pool substrate, distance from the high tide line, and depth. This study serves to further understanding of connections between community composition and characteristics of tropical tidepools by analyzing if community assemblage is affected by tidepool characteristics.
Results/Conclusions
The average pool surveyed was 30 ̊C, a tenth of a meter deep, with a surface area of 1.5 m2, and located 6 meters from the high tide line. ANOVAs of quadrat assemblage data showed significant differences in diversity, evenness, richness, dominance, number of taxa, and number of individuals among substrate type. Regressions of depth and distance from high tide line against assemblage data showed no significant correlation between any assemblage calculations. With an increased sampling size in future studies, however, these results may change. Further studies should be done on these incredible tropical habitats, which wait like geodes holding a secret treasure of life inside.