Tons of sand moving under the sea is not good news

Every year thousands of tons of sand go under the sea. This event is not good news because…

This phenomenon was analyzed by some experts during the year and published in the journal Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation and provides a new perspective on marine ecosystems.

This is Sand displacement It is not only physical activity but also has a significant ecological impact.

tons This causes the sand to sink under the sea species. These marine animals are often underestimated in their ecological role, and in fact they have recently demonstrated a surprising influence on the ocean floor.

In fact, a recent study highlights how this creature moves thousands of tons of sand each year, a volume comparable to the weight of the two Eiffel Towers.

These cartilaginous fish feed on molluscs and invertebrates that hide beneath the sand. So while searching for food, The species They forcefully wave their pectoral fins to spray water and create food pits, small burrows in the sand bottom.

This behavior not only displaces a large amount of sediment but also profoundly affects the surrounding ecosystem.

“There Bioturbation Sediment is an important ecosystem service for marine and marine ecosystems and rays (Superorder Batoidea: Stingrays, Stingrays, Electric Rays, and Fin Rays). We read in the summary of the study.

Every year thousands of tons of sand go under the sea

The study was led by Dr Molly Crew It used hadrons to map the stingray's biotrophic activity, creating detailed three-dimensional models of the seafloor.

In seven days, the species They made 1000 feed pits and displaced approximately 8 tonnes of sand.

The researchers They estimate that these models move 20 tons of sediment annually across the entire estuary.

“Stingray activities cycle nutrientsIncrease oxygen permeability and redistribute sediments. However, while rays are threatened globally, it is unclear to what extent the loss of rays and the ecosystem services they provide will affect ecosystem processes. Perhaps reproduce the ecosystem Shaping coastal processes and (…) the loss of stingrays and their ecosystem services will have a significant impact on coastal sediment ecosystems. These results underscoreEnvironmental importance “There is a need to better understand the effects of anthropogenic pressures on species and these services in an ecosystem,” we read in the study.