The Role of Beaches in the Ecosystem
Beaches are an essential part of humans’ lives. In addition to the range of recreational activities, they can also play a role in mitigating climate change. Beaches protect residents living near the Ocean by serving as a buffer against the high winds and waves of powerful storms and help drive economic activity important to nearby communities.
They also provide permanent habitats for various plants and animals. A lot of marine animals depend on the beach eco-systems. However, the naked eye can’t see many of them as they are millimetres small or buried in the sand. These are organisms that play an essential role in seawater filtration and nutrient recycling.
Some depend on the beach environment as a nursery area for fish fry or nesting sites and rookeries for turtles and birds. Higher up on the marine food chain, the beaches are a vital feeding ground for birds and terrestrial wildlife. Some marine mammals, such as sea lions and seals, also need a clean beach to rest, molt, breed, and give birth. They can also be lounging on the sand because they are warming themselves underneath the sun. It’s always a treat to share our beaches with other creatures that are part of the ecosystem and benefit from what beaches can offer.
This is why our team today took great pleasure in helping to clean Crosby Beach. Well done all in such wild and windy weather.
