Coastal and Marine Habitats
Coastal and Marine Habitats
In Australia, for example, the world's greatest diversity of seagrass and mangrove species provide a home to a multitude of plants and animals that are found nowhere else on Earth. But Australia's marine life is under increasing pressure from global warming, destructive land uses, and industrial pollution. Without a greater understanding of the threats to these fragile habitats - and the tools to protect them - a host of species of vital importance to our future could be lost forever.
Coral Reefs
Mangroves
Seagrasses
Rocky Shores
Sandy Shores
Protected sandy shores are found in more sheltered locations, where the weaker wave action results in a more stable substratum with a smaller particle size. The more stable substratum generally means that protected sandy shores have a greater variety of resident species. Examples of sandy shores include Starfish Bay in Hong Kong, the East Coast Parkway in Singapore, and Diani Beach in Kenya.