Rocky shorelines with high wave energy.
Rocky shorelines with high wave energy and sediments sufficiently mobile to limit epibenthos in some portions of the shore.
No epibenthic community in the intertidal due to high wave energy and a dynamic substrate.
Rocky shorelines with moderate to high wave energy.
Rocky shorelines with moderate wave energy and sediments that are sufficiently mobile to limit epibenthos in some portion of the shore.
Small-size sediment shores generally have no epibenthic community. Cobble/boulder beaches may have biota. Dunes frequent in backshore.
Rocky shorelines with moderate to low wave energy.
Rocky shorelines with moderate to low wave energy and sediments that are sufficiently mobile to limit epibenthos in some portion of the shore.
Small-size sediment shores generally have low biotic diversity. Cobble/boulder beaches usually support biota, especially in low intertidal/upper subtidal.
Rocky shorelines with low wave energy.
Rocky shorelines with low wave energy and sediments that are sufficiently mobile to limit epibenthos in some portion of the shore.
Moderate to low energy sediment shores with wetlands and marsh vegetation influenced by freshwater.
Generally low energy sediment shores with wetlands and marsh vegetation usually influenced by freshwater.
Very low energy fine sediment shores with wetlands and marsh vegetation influenced by freshwater.
Tidewater glaciers form and/or occupy the intertidal habitat.
Channels where high tidal currents create anomalous assemblages of biota. Usually associated with lower wave exposure conditions in adjacent shoreline.
Shoreline modified by man-made disturbances such as rip rap, wharves or fill. These can be further classified as impermeable or permeable.