SandLife.org
Save our beaches
hidden ecosystems
Let's save the Sand Crab and the birds & fish who depend on these crabbies!
DID YOU KNOW the harmless unprotected Sand Crabs along our South Florida Beaches are all gone thanks to replacing beach sand (but not the beach life) ! These cute little crabs are the start of the food chain for our seagulls, sandpipers and many other birds and fish along our shores. HAVEN"T YOU NOTICED FAR LESS BIRDS on our beaches and FAR less fishermen.
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NO SandLife = LESS BIRDS - LESS FISH - LESS FISHERMEN - LESS ECOTOURISM.
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Our sandy beaches are part of the South Florida lifestyle but not for just surfers and sunbathers. Beaches support an entire sandy beach ecosystem!
Important Sandy Beach Functions:
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Beaches support a diverse ecosystem, including invertebrates that are prey for shorebirds and fish.
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Beaches provide habitat for marine mammals, threatened plants and shorebirds, and other wildlife.
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Beaches filter seawater, recycle nutrients and buffer wave energy.
The SandLife website was developed to raise awareness about the sandy beach ecosystem of South Florida. Like many people, you may love the sandy beach but be unfamiliar with the wonderful ecosystem it supports. We hope by perusing these pages you will learn more about the dynamic sandy beach environment and the fascinating plants and animals that thrive there.
Have fun exploring the sandy beach ecosystems of South Florida!
This is the Sand Crab - Thousands live in our sands!
How can we help?
We can replace our beach sand and also transfer the hidden bio-diversity in our sands to please all !
The health of sandy beach ecosystems is depends on good decsions by coastal communities. Because many threats are human related, we can work to minimize them. Important impacts include coastal armoring, beach nourishment, beach grooming and atificial lighting.
The most dire impacts to beaches, such as coastal armoring, can remove entire stretches of beach.
Beach nourishment and beach grooming alter the beach, removing seaweed and small animals that are a critcal component of sandy beach ecosystems. The result often looks 'clean' but actually is a lifeless 'desert'.
Street lights and other artificial lighting, such as lights on buildings or peers, can have surprisingly important impacts on beach life.
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