Marine Biology

2.Wave action

Wave action

Wave action is the important physical factor in the sandy shore environment. Its role in the profile of the beach and sand grain size is of paramount importance as these factors are known to decide the suitability of the substratum for the inhabitation of the animals. Strong wave action also causes erosion of the beach, which leads not only to the reduction of width of the beach but also the dislodgement of the organisms from their original habitat. To prevent from being dislodgement, the sandy shore animals must either be adapted to burry rapidly or be adapted to burrow deeply. For example, while the former is possible, the fauna such as Donax cuneatus (wedge clam) and Emerita holthuisi (mole crab), are to known to live in the mid-littoral beach and possess the adaptation of burying rapidly into the sand to avoid desiccation due to exposure to air, when the incoming tides constantly stirring the bottom, most of the other animals are be able to burry themselves very deeply into the sand and live.