Shallow slope conprises the transition area between intertidal flats and the deep channel bottom, a common habitat for benthic invertebrates.
The figure at right shows a cross-sectional diagram of habitat types at various elevations in an estuary (based on Procter et al. 1980a).
Controlling factors that affect shallow slope:
Currents
Elevation/Depth/Bathymetry
Hydrodynamics
Salinity
Sediment Quality
Temperature
Ecosystem processes that are affected by shallow slope:
Food Web Support
Element Cycling
