Coastlines, what about it?
Coastlines only make up about 8 percent of the Earth’s land, but they have about 26 percent of all biological diversity. This world of seabirds, clams, crabs, starfish, anemones, fish, kelp, and marine mammals, among many others, is a beautiful place with many different types of plants and animal communities. Yet it can be a harsh and difficult place as well, battered by waves, soaked in salty sea spray, and constantly changed by tides and erosion. Coastlines are usually divided into rocky, sandy, or muddy, and each type supports its own ecosystems.Unlike some of the animals that inhabit oceans and coastlines, birds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals can travel, some for long distances, to take advantage of the best temperatures, light, and food available. The migrations of the gray whale and the leatherback sea turtle, for example, are impressive, and the speed and distance that dolphins can travel is quite a feat.

Technorati tags: Habitats , Sea Creatures , Oceans , Coastlines