Notes on sea beach ecology, food sources on sandy beaches and localized diatom blooms bordering Gulf beaches.

Abstract

Food production along sandy beaches is much different from that of rocky beaches. No large algae grow on sand beaches. Small filamentous green algae find footholds upon mollusks, mole crabs, strands of Leptogorgia and logs. Basic food along the sand beach is made up of diatoms, bacteria, unicellular algae and detritus; diatoms are probably the most abundant autotrophic organism; the beach bacteria are largely heterotrophic. Most food on sandy beaches comes from the sea. Food production from autotrophic algae appears to be relatively steady compared to drifting materials, which may vary enormously. Various types of food drift in and as a result of dinoflagellate blooms, catastrophic cold kills and stranding cetaceans.