Sandy Beach Biological Research: Important Questions for Knowledge and Management

TLDR: The effects of climate change are especially important, with increased storminess and sea-level rise predicted to accelerate erosion and leading to changes in temperature, pH and hydrology all of which are likely to have biological effects as mentioned in this paper.

Abstract: Sandy beaches are under increasing pressure from human activities. The effects of climate change are especially important, with increased storminess and sea-level rise predicted to accelerate erosion and leading to changes in temperature, pH and hydrology all of which are likely to have biological effects. Additionally, human interventions to address erosion (eg, large-scale beach nourishment and shore armouring in urban areas) are likely to negatively affect beach ecosystems. To date, most management has focussed on the ‘hazards and playgrounds’ aspects of beaches to the detriment of understanding and valuing beaches and dunes as linked, unique and biodiverse ecosystems. Beaches are not abiotic deserts. On the contrary, they provide habitat for hundreds of buried microbial and invertebrate species that are critical in processing organic matter and forming the base of food webs culminating in fishes, shorebirds and raptors at the dune interface. Beaches also form irreplaceable habitats for iconic sea turtles and other vertebrates. To conserve the full range of ecosystem services provided by beaches, appropriate policy must be established and managers will require robust ecological information to inform their strategies. Unfortunately, less is known about the biology of beach ecosystems and their response to pressures than for other coastal ecosystems. Starting with a discussion about the nature of ecosystem health, resilience, and ecosystem-based adaptive management, this paper discusses the kinds of pressures that are most important, identifies some priority management-orientated questions and discusses a case study concerning beach nourishment. Some current obstacles are briefly discussed and some directions that may be profitable are suggested.