Saline/brackish subtidal channel/bay bottom
Note: At present, this type is no longer tracked as a natural community (see future marine aquatic classification).
Subtidal natural communities are influenced by tides and occur almost exclusively below mean low tide, although their upper reaches may be briefly exposed during the lowest spring tides. In New Hampshire, subtidal communities include the saline/brackish subtidal channel/bay bottom, tidal creek bottom, eelgrass bed, and oyster bed communities. These communities perform important ecological functions including supporting oyster, eelgrass, and flounder populations, providing refuge for fish and invertebrates that retreat from exposed intertidal flats and estuarine marshes at low tide, and serving as spawning and nursery areas for numerous species of aquatic animals.
Saline/brackish subtidal channel/bay bottom (at botom center of image) in Great Bay
(photo by Ben Kimball)
Saline/brackish subtidal channel/bay bottom in Great Bay
(photo by Ben Kimball)