Observations by gracegarcia

This is a green, leafy plant found by the tide pools. It is an aquatic plant species called watercress with hollow stems that allow it to float. Watercress also produces small white flowers that are clustered together.

This gumboot chiton was as long as my foot, so around 25 centimeters in length. It has a thick, red mantle which covers the chiton's muscular foot and eight shells. The gumboot chiton, unlike other chitons, cannot cling tightly to rocks, which is why I found this one ashore on the rocks.

Bill kelp is large, greenish brownish algae with a gas-filled bulb at the end. This Bull Kelp was one of the longest ones I've seen, spanning around 6 feet. This autotroph also provides lots of nutrients to most of the animals at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.

This Black Tegula has a muscular foot that is black on the sides. The shell is black with gold and white on top. It's diameter is around the size of my eyeball. This heterotroph feeds on algae and plankton.

This radish plant has small purple flowers with 4 petals and white in the middle. I found it growing by the tide pools and noticed how healthy this plant looked. Although, many marine animals don't use this plant as a source of energy.