Seasonal Variation of Intertidal Zonation on the Coast of Ghana in Relation to Tidal Factors

Abstract

A transect on a rocky reef at Christiansborg (Ghana) was examined at approximately monthly inter vals over a period of nearly 3 years. Results obtained showed there was a marked seasonal change in both quantity and vertical distribution of some seaweeds. The upper limits of many species were highest dur ing the months of the northern summer and there was also an increase or a decrease in total quantity of some of them during that period. The behavior of certain species, notably Hypnea, Chaetomorpha, Padina and Sargassum is correlated with the curve obtained by plotting against time, the lowest of the low waters which occurred during the daytime in each month.