Above is a simple layout of what a tidal ecosystem looks like. There are various advantages to living in a tidal ecosystem. There is an abundance of nutrients and oxygen. Food sources are readily available and there are various places to inhabit in a tide that provide great protection and homes for aquatic creatures. There are some challenges that organisms living in tides have to deal with. They must be able to deal with decreased moisture and increased water temperature. Also, salinity constantly changes in tidal zones and organisms need to tolerate a wide range of salinity levels. Animals also have to compete for limited living space as tidal ecosystems are not extremely large areas.
One must also note that at various times, the inter tidal is exposed to the air. Many organisms have adapted to living both underwater and on land. The tidal ecology is extremely diverse and is filled with various species including crabs, urchins, shrimps, sea anemones, starfish, clams, krill, and various bivalve organisms like clams and oysters. These organisms have adapted to all the above listed challenges and help to create a sustainable food web in a dynamic ecosystem with large fluctuations.
As the organisms in tidal ecosystems are already dealing with many challenges, it can be said that tide power plants will cause increased strain on these animals and their already "stressful" lives. Therefore, we must really consider if tidal power plants are a viable solution to aid our energy concerns.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertidal_ecology
http://seaworld.org/animal-info/ecosystem-infobooks/tide-pools/intertidal-ecology/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/ocean/Intertidal.shtml
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