When Consumption Comes from Beneath: A Visual Record of Slow-Moving Consumers and Abrupt Lower Distribution Limits of Sessile Intertidal Species

This article documents abrupt lower distribution limits of sessile invertebrates and seaweeds from rocky intertidal habitats on Pacific and Atlantic shores from both hemispheres. The common feature of these striking patterns is that they are caused primarily by slow-moving predators or herbivores coming from lower elevations. This contribution aims at stimulating comparative studies on these fascinating systems as well as providing visual materials of educational value.