Sandy Shores: Highly Dynamic and Vulnerable Ecosystems

Abstract

Las playas arenosas representan alrededor del 31% de las costas del mundo y forman un sistema geomorfológico integrado llamado "zona litoral activa" (LAZ), compuesto por dunas, playa y zona de rompiente. Este sistema dinámico sostiene una biodiversidad notable y servicios ecosistémicos clave, como la protección costera. Sin embargo, es altamente vulnerable a presiones antropogénicas como urbanización, contaminación, sobrepesca y cambio climático. La pérdida de hábitats naturales, la compactación del sedimento y la introducción de especies exóticas afectan negativamente la biodiversidad y las funciones tróficas. El fenómeno del "coastal squeeze", que impide la migración natural del sistema costero frente al aumento del nivel del mar, representa una amenaza crítica. El capítulo enfatiza la necesidad de estudios ecológicos de largo plazo y un abordaje integrado para conservar la funcionalidad del LAZ, con especial atención a las dunas frontales como reservorio de sedimentos y defensa natural frente a eventos extremos.

Sandy shores dominate the world’s ice-free coastlines and are shaped by the interaction of sand, waves, and tides. They comprise three main compartments along the land-sea axis: dunes, beaches, and surf zones, together comprising the littoral active zone. These compartments are interconnected through the exchange of materials, particularly sand, and energy via trophic interactions of biological communities. Due to the distinct nature of the physical forces acting on sandy shores, this chapter summarizes the primary factors influencing each of these three zones separately. The biological component also plays a crucial role on sandy shores, and due to the relatively small scale, direct exchanges occur across the dune-surf interface. The chapter introduces the major biological communities that inhabit each zone, including plants, invertebrates, fish, turtles, mammals, and birds, along with the main interactions among them. Human activities have a significant impact on these ecosystems and their ecological functions, making sandy shores highly vulnerable social-ecological systems. With the expansion of human activities, these impacts are expected to intensify, further exacerbated by global climate change. The chapter also examines the major Sandy shores dominate the world’s ice-free coastlines and are shaped by the interaction of sand, waves, and tides. They comprise three main compartments along the land-sea axis: dunes, beaches, and surf zones, together comprising the littoral active zone. These compartments are interconnected through the exchange of materials, particularly sand, and energy via trophic interactions of biological communities. Due to the distinct nature of the physical forces acting on sandy shores, this chapter summarizes the primary factors influencing each of these three zones separately. The biological component also plays a crucial role on sandy shores, and due to the relatively small scale, direct exchanges occur across the dune-surf interface. The chapter introduces the major biological communities that inhabit each zone, including plants, invertebrates, fish, turtles, mammals, and birds, along with the main interactions among them. Human activities have a significant impact on these ecosystems and their ecological functions, making sandy shores highly vulnerable social-ecological systems. With the expansion of human activities, these impacts are expected to intensify, further exacerbated by global climate change.