Human Impacts over Sandy Beaches

LAITANO M.V.; CHIARADIA N.M.; NUÑEZ J.D.

Sandy Beaches as Endangered Ecosystems. Environmental Problems, Possible Assessment and Management Solutions

CRC Press

Año: 2022; p. 54 - 88

Who has never gazed at the idyllic sight of a sandy beach? For those who havenot, we hope that some day you will have the opportunity. For those who did...have you ever wonder: Do we want our children and their progenies to experience this same soothing feeling? These questions were lingering in our thoughts and were our main drivers into preparing this book...Sandy beaches are complex, dynamic, but also sensitive interface ecosystemsthat fringe the largest proportion of the world’s coastlines. The physicalenvironment of the beach, characterized by the permanent interactions between sand, waves, tides and winds, always in motion, has a profound effect on its inhabitants. Due to this dynamism, living on these ecosystems is a very complex task, notably in open oceanic beaches, where the exposure to environmental changes is more pronounced. Sandy beach biota, especially the fauna, must keep pace and fully adapt to harsh and complex cycles of changing environmental conditions, displaying a wide array of adaptations, if they are to endure. The low diversity of organisms observed in most sandy beaches, when compared for instance to rocky shores, should therefore not be surprising. Another relevant feature of the beach environment is the absence of large primary producers, such as macroalgae and plants. Instead, benthic microflora and surf-zone phytoplankton are the main primary producers, when present, and often represent small primary production values. As such, these ecosystems are strongly dependent of irregular inputs of allochthonous organic debris from both marine and terrestrial origins, which frequently act as food subsidies, by fuelling their food webs.