Strandhabitats

Strandhabitats are coastal and shore habitats at the interface of land and sea. They include beaches and dunes, estuarine shores, tidal flats, salt marshes, as well as rocky shores. These habitats experience dynamic conditions such as shifting sands, tidal immersion, salt spray, wind, and salinity changes, creating strong environmental gradients.

Strandhabitats are zoned by environment. Foredunes and backshore on beaches; intertidal zones from low to high tide; estuaries host mudflats and salt marshes. Organisms are adapted to burrow, camouflage, rapid movement, desiccation, and salt tolerance.

Ecological functions include shoreline protection, storm buffering, and carbon storage in marshes. They provide feeding and nursery grounds for crustaceans, worms, and bivalves; shorebirds and waterfowl feed and roost; many fish rely on estuaries.

Threats include coastal development, dune erosion, pollution, invasive species, climate change, sea-level rise, and altered sediment supply. Conservation approaches emphasize protecting dunes, restoring native vegetation, regulating trampling and construction, maintaining tidal flows, and monitoring biodiversity and shoreline change.