Sandy shores appear as beaches in enclosed bays between rocky headlands or as long stretches of sand adjacent to coastal dune systems or sandy spits. Sandy shores are highly dynamic environments, have a characteristic biodiversity and represent a unique gradient of habitats. The environment is attractive for housing, accommodates key marine infrastructure and provides excellent opportunities for fisheries, recreation and drinking water resources, thus represents high economic value. Natural development of sandy shores depends on the accumulation of sand that is transported to the coast from inland sources by rivers, and / or from marine sources by waves, currents and wind. Continue reading from EcoShape
Sandy beaches are highly dynamic environments subject to rapid, extreme changes. Typically located on passive margins, in areas characterized by low-wave energy, a wide continental shelf, and high offshore sediment influence, sandy beaches are found in wave-dominated, depositional settings such as the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Continue reading from National Park Service
Sandy beaches provide many ecosystem services, including: sediment storage and transport; wave dissipation and associated buffering against extreme weather events; dynamic response to sea level rise; breakdown of organic materials and pollutants; water filtration; nutrient mineralization and recycling; storage of water in dune aquifers and groundwater discharge through beaches; maintenance of biodiversity and genetic resources; providing a nursery area for juvenile fishes; nesting sites or rookeries for turtles, shorebirds, and pinnipeds; prey for birds and other terrestrial wildlife; scenic vistas and recreational opportunities; and functional links between terrestrial and marine environments (Defeo et al., 2009). Continue reading from Beachapedia
