This area consisted of a mud and sand layer over a layer
of rocks of 2-5 cm diameter. This area was the least taxonomically
diverse. The dominant species in this area was the lugworm, Abarenicolidae.
Overall, we found four families of polychaetes, one echinoderm species,
two mollusc classes and one crustacean family. Perhaps the low diversity
was due to the fact that this area is exposed for the longest time during
the tidal cycle. The fine particle size and lack of algal cover may
also contribute to the limited diversity. The fine particle size
is likely a result of less water flow through the substrate, which could
limit the types of polychaetes that feed in this area.