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Microflora At first glance sandy beaches may seem devoid of life, but they support
a diversity of animals and plants interacting in a complex food
web. Many of these organisms are hidden in the midst of grains
of sand. The benthic microflora of marine sands includes bacteria,
blue-green bacteria, autotrophic flagellates and diatoms. Those
attached to sand grains are generally known as epipsammon. Microscopic
diatoms are the primary producers of this food web, and together
with fungi and bacteria that obtain nutrients from organic matter,
they provide also food for protozoans such as flagellates and ciliates.
Some consume bacteria, diatoms or protozoans, while many feeds
on other meiofauna or on detritus. It is called interstitial food
web that plays an important role in sandy beach ecosystems by breaking
down organic matter and recycling nutrients. |
