Marine, intertidal, mixed coarse, exposed, eulittoral

Mixed-coarse sediments are those where no one grain size occupies more than 70 percent of a stretch of beach. Instead, the beach is a mix (in variable quantities) of a few boulders, with cobble, gravel, and sand. Few such sites exist in highly wave-exposed areas because waves tend to 'sort' substrate types; this habitat type is much more common where sea stacks or other features reduce the wave energy reaching the shore. Drift algae may accumulate in these habitats, providing food and habitat for a variety of small organisms.

Habitat attributes

Class ID: 
Class name: 
Marine, intertidal, mixed coarse, exposed, eulittoral
30.0 km (in WA)
Primary substrate: 
Secondary substrate: 
Tertiary substrate: 
Substrate stability: 
Semi-stable surface features
Substrate key details: 
Cobble, pebble, sand (some stable surface features)
Wave exposure: 
Exposed, Semi-exposed
Blue book classes: 
[No class in 1990 publication]
Map/survey site examples: 
Outer coast of Washington only (e.g., near Shi Shi beach)
Fish sampling sites: 
Species notes: