Infographic: Important Habitats are Changing

Infographic: Important Habitats are Changing

Illustrations of various marine habitats including mudflats, eelgrass, kelp beds, corals and sponges, and sand dollars. At the bottom are icons illustrating possible stressors to these habitats.

Changes are occurring in ecologically important habitats including intertidal flats, kelp and eelgrass, and coral and sponge habitats.

Intertidal flats

Above sediment: Sandpiper, Mummichog.

Below Sediment: Mudworm, Soft-shell clam.

Eelgrass

Juvenile cod, White hake, Eelgrass up in Newfoundland.

Kelp

Rock crab, Lobster, Kelp down in Nova Scotia.

Corals and Sponges

Coastal and offshore areas have coral and sponge beds that provide nurseries to many different species.

Squid eggs, Shark purse, Redfish, Grenadier.

Sand Dollars

Sand Dollars play an important role in disturbing sediments as they move and feed.

Some possible stressors to ecologically important habitats are:

• Coastal erosion
• Warming temperatures
• Sea level rise
• Storms
• Higher nutrient levels
• Human-caused