Life is hard between the tide marks on the rocky shore.
The plants and animals that live here receive most of their moisture through wave splash. To avoid drying out, barnacles close their shells and limpets go out only at night. In the mid-tide zone lives a diverse group of animals and plants, including seaweeds, mussels and sea stars. Community members must find ways to stay moist when the tide is out, avoid predators when the tide is in and compete with each other for space. The low-tide zone is exposed to air only during the lowest tides.