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Key predator/prey relationships of the
Berkeley Marina & Central San Francisco Bay
* Threatened or Endangered species
Brown Pelican B
Threatened by domoic acid, produced
by certain kinds of algal blooms
Red Fox A
Invasive, daptable eater, limited by
competition for food with cats,
raccoons and other
mesopredators
Virginia Rail B
Thrive in areas along open-water edge with
high habitat diversity, limited by loss of
habitat, densification of vegetation by
Spartina spp. invasion
Egret B
Make bulky stick nests in shrubs or trees,
wade in shallow water to flush out prey
or fly low over water to fish
Black Rail B
Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse C
Relies on thick vegetation for habitat
Limited by availability of pickleweed for both
food and habitat, partially threatened by
habitat loss by invasive Spartina spp.
Sora B
Spends most of the year in freshwater habitat, only winters in salt marsh
California Clapper Rail B
Only forages in mud flat areas or shallow water
near dense vegetation for protection, sensitive to
habitat loss from invasive Spartina spp.
insects
Harbor Seal H
Adaptable eaters, limited by steep
shorelines/availability of gently sloped
intertidal areas
Salt Marsh Vagrant Shrew C
Adaptable to a variety of salt marsh
edge conditions, cannibalism is not
uncommon across communities
Leopard Shark L
Dungeness Crab C
Follow the tide to prey in mudflat
or shallow kelp forest habitat
This crab depends on eelgrass for
protection while it moults and for
hiding from predatos
plankton
Barnacles F
algae
A filter feeder, various species play an important role in cleansing the Bay, depend on
rocky/hard surfaces for habitat
(phytoplankton)
Limpets + Snails G
Brown Rockfish M
Longjaw Mudsucker I
Limited by habitat (sheer rock face and rocky reefs)
This goby burrows in muddy tidal
sloughs and can survive being
stranded by low tides
Striped Bass M
Historically imited by over-fishing,
but well-established today
Sculpin/Cabezon M
Limited by habitat (rocky ledges)
A major intertidal predator, depend on rocky
intertidal habitat and are often found among
mussel beds or barnacles
California Mussel E
These filter feeders provide habitat for many species in the Bay.
California mussels tend toward sheltered bays and existing
mussel colonies and are threatened by wave action, debris, and
predation in open intertidal areas
Monkeyface Prickleback I
Pacific Herring M
Depend on rocky intertidal areas for
habitat
Spawning in shallow bays and estuaries, females lay
unfertilized eggs on rocks, seaweed, riprap, and other
surfaces for males to fertilize. Both fish and eggs are a key
food source for many marine organisms. Limited by lack of
food (plankton) and warming water
Ghost Shrimp F
Filters organic waste particles out
of water and thirves in mud
Bat Ray L
Pacific Halibut M
Able to thrive in a range of salinities
Popular sport fish and the
largest flatfish
Blue Mud Shrimp F
Burrowing in mud flats, this species has
ample habitat in the Bay
Olympia Oysters K
Threatened by invasive Japanese Oyster Drill, their reef-like beds
offer habitat for many fish, crabs, and mollusks
Habitat Niche
Profile
Substrate
Diet
BCD
A
Mesopredators
B
Birds
C
Small mammals
D
Insects
E
Clams/Mussels
F
Crustaceans
G
Whelks/Limpets
H
Marine mammals
I
Amphibious fish
California clapper rail, black rail,
Virginia railsora, salt marsh common
yellowthroat, brown pelican, northern
harrier, great egret, snowy egret
CD
Salt marsh harvest mouse, Salt marsh
wandering shrew
L
Cartilidgenous fish
M
Bony fish
N
Plankton
SUPRATIDAL
“The supratidal zone is the area above the high tide water
line that extends upland. This area is seldom covered by
water. Some part of this zone can receive moisture from
wave splash. Land-based or terrestrial animals and plants
survive here if they can tolerate some seawater or brackish
water. Marine animals and plants survive here if they can
tolerate exposure to air.”
Salt marsh water boatman, wandering
skipper, beetles, flies
Upland - highintertidal
California mussel, Pacific blue mussel,
Asian clam
Mid-intertidal
EFG
Oysters
Upland - intertidal
Upland - high-intertidal
DEFGK
K
Tidal Zone
Grey fox, cats, red fox, possums, raccoons
DEFG
( I M N in
juvenile form)
N
Algae
Range
Upland
DCA
J
Examples
Dungeness crabs, ellow crabs, rock
crabs, red crabs, slender crabs, ghost
shrimp, blue mud shrimp, acorn
barnacles
Mid - highintertidal
Shield limpet, ribbed limpet, rough
limpet, file limpet, owl limpet
Mid - highIntertidal
EFGMN
Harbor seal, sea lion
FJ
Monkeyface prickleback,
longjaw mudsucker
autotrophic
or detritus
Sea lettuce, slender
rockweed, stunted
turkish towel
N,
detritus
Olympia oysters
FK
Leopard shark, bat ray, white
sturgeon
IM
autotrophic or
detritus
INTERTIDAL
“The intertidal zone is the area that is exposed to the air at
low tide and submerged at high tide. This area can include
many different types of habitats, including steep rocky cliffs,
sandy beaches or vast mudflats. Organisms in the intertidal
zone are adapted to harsh extremes. Water can be high due
to tides, rain and run off, and this water can be very salty at
one time and very fresh another. These areas can also
become very dry when tides are low for extended periods
of time. Temperatures can range from very hot with full sun
to freezing in colder climates.”
Low-intertidal - subtidal
SUBTIDAL
Intertidalsubtidal
“The intertidal zone is the area below the low tide water
line. This area is always covered by water. This area can
include many different types of habitats, including soft and
hard bottom, submerged aquatic vegetation beds and coral
reefs. The organisms here can not tolerate very long
exposure to the air or sun.”
Coastal subtidal
Striped bass, halibut, white croaker,
brown rockfish, staghorn sculpin,
anchovy, surfperch
Coastal subtidal
Subtidal
Tidal zone information from NOAA
Subtidal
eelgrass
rocky
soft bottom intertidal low intertidal
scrub/
(mud or sand) vegetation
high
chapparal
vegetation