Beach Feet

by Nava Thompson

Title

Beach Feet

Artist

Nava Thompson

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

1st Place contest winner---featured art--A photo taken by Nava Jo Thompsonof a toddler with bare feet in the sand on the beach in Florida. Beaches are the result of wave action by which waves or currents move sand or other loose sediments of which the beach is made as these particles are held in suspension. Alternatively, sand may be moved by saltation (a bouncing movement of large particles). Beach materials come from erosion of rocks offshore, as well as from headland erosion and slumping producing deposits of scree. Some of the whitest sand in the world, along Florida's Emerald Coast, comes from the erosion of quartz in the Appalachian Mountains. A coral reef offshore is a significant source of sand particles........The shape of a beach depends on whether the waves are constructive or destructive, and whether the material is sand or shingle. Constructive waves move material up the beach while destructive waves move the material down the beach. On sandy beaches, the backwash of the waves removes material forming a gently sloping beach. On shingle beaches the swash is dissipated because the large particle size allows percolation, so the backwash is not very powerful, and the beach remains steep. Cusps and horns form where incoming waves divide, depositing sand as horns and scouring out sand to form cusps. This forms the uneven face on some sand shorelines.........Several beaches are claimed to be the "world's longest", including Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh (120 kilometres [75 mi] unbroken), Praia do Cassino (212 kilometres [132 mi][2]) in Brazil, Fraser Island beach, 90 Mile Beach in Australia (151 kilometres [94 mi]) and 90 Mile Beach in New Zealand (88 kilometres [55 mi]), Troia-Sines Beach (63 kilometres [39 mi]) in Portugal and Long Beach, Washington (which is about 40 kilometres A Kemp's Ridley sea turtle nesting on the berm section of the beach, beyond can be seen plant debris in the wrack line.A beach is an unstable environment that exposes plants and animals to changeable and potentially harsh conditions. Some animals burrow into the sand and feed on material deposited by the waves. Crabs, insects and shorebirds feed on these beach dwellers. The endangered Piping Plover and some tern species rely on beaches for nesting. Sea turtles also lay their eggs on ocean beaches. Seagrasses and other beach plants grow on undisturbed areas of the beach and dunes.......Ocean beaches are habitats with organisms adapted to salt spray, tidal overwash, and shifting sands. Some of these organisms are found only on beaches. Examples of these beach organisms in the southeast US include plants like sea oats, sea rocket, beach elder, beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae), and beach peanut, and animals such as mole crabs (Hippoidea), coquina clams (Donax), ghost crabs, and white beach tiger beetles.

Uploaded

July 19th, 2012

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