1. Ecosystem #1: The Beach!

2. Brainstorm! What are some of the abiotic & biotic factors on a beach?
Sand, water, waves, wind, sun, rocks, things people brought, etc.
Biotic
Plants & animals

3. Beach
An accumulation of unconsolidated sediment extending from the low tide line to some feature (like a cliff, dune or permanent vegetation).

4. Tidal Zone
The area of the beach that is sometimes covered in water and sometimes completely
dry.

5. Draw in your Notes:
Scarp
Berm

6. Define the Terms on the Diagram as they relate to the beach:
Beach Berm
Scarp
Swash Zone
Surf Zone
Breaker Zone

7. Nearly flat back portion of beach formed by material deposited by waves.
BERM
SCARP
Nearly vertical cut into the beach profile formed by wave erosion.
Where the beach face is alternately covered by the run up of the wave swash & then exposed again.
SWASH ZONE

8. Where small waves occur following a wave breaking.
Surf Zone

9. *where the waves become unstable & break
Breaker Zone

11. Directions:
On a piece of drawing paper, trace the bottom of a beaker to produce 6 circles. Number them 1-6.
At each lab table, you will find a different sample of sand. Place a pinch of the sand on a slide and observe.
Accurately draw what you see. It is important that you pay attention to the shape of the sand and the colors that you see. Take your time!
Return the sand to the original container

12. On the back…
What are some of the things we can learn about a beach by looking at a sample of its sand?
What can you infer about each one of your samples?

14. By observing sand, what can you infer about the beach it came from?
Wave energy/time spent in the ocean
The presence (or absence) of certain types of animals
Nearby natural features/landforms

15. What is sand?
Natural, unconsolidated material composed of grains that are either minerals, rock fragments or biogenic in origin (organic matter)
Quartz is the most abundant mineral on our beaches (very durable)
Washed down rivers from the Appalachians

16. Where Does Sand Come From?
The Continental Shelf is the largest source of sand

17. S. Florida Beach Re-nourishment
Read the article and answer the questions….

19. Beach Morphology

20. What Causes a Beach to Look Different Over Time?
Wind
Water (waves, tides, currents)
Storms
Seasons
Human Activities

21. The movement of weathered materials from one place to another
Erosion
The movement of weathered materials from one place to another

22. Erosion Sand is the result of weathering
Erosion moves sand to new locations
Sediment eroded inland also travels in rivers and is deposited into the ocean
Sediment is distributed along the edge of the continent by longshore currents

23. Longshore Transport (Drift)
Movement of sand and sediment parallel to the coastline

24. Longshore Current
The actual current (located in the surf zone & running parallel to shore) that moves sand and sediment.

25. Video Clip
Beaches

26. Dynamic Equilibrium
The changes a beach undergoes due to changing seasons (cycle)
Summer – wave conditions move sand onto the beach
Winter – storm waves pull sand offshore and form sandbars

27. Summer
Winter

28. Summer Beach Profile

29. Winter Beach Profile