Whether you’re a collector or just a casual beachgoer, you’ve probably bent to pick up a seashell that caught your eye. Children scour the beach for unique shells, and vacationers pocket them as mementos of their travels. Few things seem more innocent, but what is the impact of all those disappearing shells?
It may be much greater than we think. Researchers in Spain surveyed seashells on Llarga Beach from 2008 to 2010 after previously surveying the same area thirty years earlier. In the intervening time, conditions at the beach stayed relatively the same. The only significant difference was the number of tourists, which had almost tripled.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, researchers found almost three times fewer seashells in their recent survey. The problem is, shells are far more than just decorative. They serve many important purposes, including shelter for algae, substrate for sea grass, nesting material for birds, and homes for crustaceans.
The shell declines at Llarga Beach are notable because the area is not a top tourist destination – more popular beaches may lose shells at a more rapid rate. Recreational vehicle use and beach grooming with heavy equipment adds to the problem.
About a billion tourists visit beaches each year – if each one picks up a couple of shells, the impact is staggering. Though it may be tempting to take home a free souvenir, perhaps it’s time we treat seashells as important members of our ecosystem and leave them to do their work.
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The environmental cost of collecting seashells
Photo, taken on June 10, 2012, courtesy of Tomas Sobek via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, with script contribution from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.