Rocky
shores support a great variety of species that live on the rock surface.
Most spend their juvenile stages being carried around by ocean m n currents
as part of the plankton until they settle on the shore as the adult, benthic,
stage. Many of them, e.g. barnacles and mussels, are sessile (i.e. are fixed
to the rock surface), whilst others are mobile, moving over the rock surface
to feed.
Hillstreams
are generally located at altitudes 50 m above sea level or greater. There are
few rooted aquatic plants, many types of microscopic algae and cyanobacteria
(formerly called 'blue-green algae') coat rocks and stones. The majority of
animals in the streams are insects, while shrimps and crabs, gastropods and
bivalves, amphibians, and a variety of small fishes can also be found.
Sandy
Shores are gently sloping coastal soft shores consisting of accumulations
of grains of sand of varying size. Because they are coastal, these shores are
covered and uncovered with the cyclic rise and fall of the sea: one such rise
and fall is called a 'tidal cycle'. This cycle varies during each lunar month
(= 28 days), with tides of a greater range ('spring tides') followed by tides
with a reduced range ('neap tides'), in approximately alternate weekly intervals.
Hillsides
are the most extensive terrestrial feature in Hong Kong. Over 800 km2 of the
land area is considered hilly. Substantial lowland plains are confined to the
northern parts of the New Territories. Hong Kong has 30 peaks that are over
480 m above sea level. The highest peak in Hong Kong is Tai Mo Shan at 957 m
in the central New Territories. Approximately half the hilly area (415 km2)
is included in Country Parks and Special Areas, in which all plant and animal
species are protected.
Hong
Kong Species Guide Sheets with lamination (A4, double-sized): $15 for each
or $50 for the set of 4 sheets as follows.
Hong Kong Field Guide Books &
Species Guide Sheets
A collection of field guides worth owning!
If you would like to purchase any species guide sheets, please contact Ms.
Eva Tam (evatam@hkucc.hku.hk) or
fax the order to us.
Tel: 22990612; Fax:25176082
Rm 6N01, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building,
The University of Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Species Guide Sheets could be delivery by post. The postage
charge will be added to the order.
Hong
Kong Field Guide Books: available from all good bookstores
