Variation in abundance and distribution of intertidal rocky shore populations in relation to the extremities of the environment

Characterized by patchiness in the distributions of abundance of species in space and time, intertidal zones have been studied for decades in order to isolate the several important ecological interactions that cause these diverse assemblages of plants and animals (Underwood & Chapman,2000; Underwood & Chapman, 1998; Underwood, 2000). In order to recognize these environmental factors, two sampling techniques were implemented to obtain the vertical abundance and distribution of selected biota. By applying basic principles of methodology in both of the two ecological sampling practices, a comparison of patterns of biota was formed, thus the ability to quantify distribution and abundance of species on a rocky shore. This resulted in patterns depicting strong evidence for environmental pressures as a defining element of distribution and abundance.