Human Impacts over Sandy Beaches

Abstract

The interaction of humans with coastal zones, as with many natural environments, does not usually develop with proper management in order to preserve their natural components. This situation is particularly exacerbated on sandy beach areas as they are sites chosen by many people to live or spend some time. This chapter look over the main human activities which are known to generate an impact over sandy beaches. Also, different methodological approaches used to determine human impacts over this ecosystem through the study of beach resident organisms, are presented and discussed. Finally, case studies which assess the effects that these impacts have on the different areas of these coastal systems are exposed. We hope that all of the above leads to conclusions related to general aspects of human impacts over sandy beaches, gaps and trends on research dedicated to this topic and its input to management plans.