Ulva lactuca (Sea Lettuce): Global Distribution in Intertidal Zones

Ulva lactuca (sea lettuce, green laver) is a green alga found worldwide in the intertidal zone:

• Oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian.
• Seas: Mediterranean, North Sea, Baltic Sea.
• Habitat: Rocky shores, tide pools, estuaries; attached to rocks or free-floating.
• Ecology: Fast-growing, nutrient indicator; eaten by herbivores, humans (salads, soups).

Its broad tolerance for salinity, temperature, and light makes it a cosmopolitan coastal species.