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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach | 7/7 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beach | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T07:34:24.791061+00:00 | kb-cron |
=== Corduroy (beach ladder) === A corduroy road or beach ladder (or board and chain) is an array of planks (usually hardwood or treated timber) laid close together and perpendicular to the direction of traffic flow, and secured at each end by a chain or cable to form a pathway or ramp over the sand dune. Corduroys are cheap and easy to construct and quick to deploy or relocate. They are commonly used for pedestrian access paths and light duty vehicular access ways. They naturally conform to the shape of the underlying beach or dune profile, and adjust well to moderate erosion, especially longshore drift. However, they can cease to be an effective access surface if they become buried or undermined by erosion by surface runoff coming from the beach head. If the corduroy is not wide enough for vehicles using it, the sediment on either side may be displaced creating a spoon drain that accelerates surface runoff and can quickly lead to serious erosion. Significant erosion of the sediment beside and under the corduroy can render it completely ineffective and make it dangerous to pedestrian users who may fall between the planks.
=== Fabric ramp === Fabric ramps are commonly employed by the military for temporary purposes where the underlying sediment is stable and hard enough to support the weight of the traffic. A sheet of porous fabric is laid over the sand to stabilize the surface and prevent vehicles from bogging. Fabric Ramps usually cease to be useful after one tidal cycle as they are easily washed away, or buried in sediment.
=== Foliage ramp === A foliage ramp is formed by planting resilient species of hardy plants such as grasses over a well-formed sediment ramp. The plants may be supported while they become established by placement of layers of mesh, netting, or coarse organic material such as vines or branches. This type of ramp is ideally suited for intermittent use by vehicles with a low wheel loading such as dune buggies or agricultural vehicles with large tyres. A foliage ramp should require minimal maintenance if initially formed to follow the beach profile, and not overused.
=== Gravel ramp === A gravel ramp is formed by excavating the underlying loose sediment and filling the excavation with layers of gravel of graduated sizes as defined by John Loudon McAdam. The gravel is compacted to form a solid surface according to the needs of the traffic. Gravel ramps are less expensive to construct than concrete ramps and are able to carry heavy road traffic provided the excavation is deep enough to reach solid subsoil. Gravel ramps are subject to erosion by water. If the edges are retained with boards or walls and the profile matches the surrounding beach profile, a gravel ramp may become more stable as finer sediments are deposited by percolating water.
== Longest beaches ==
Amongst the world's longest beaches are:
Praia do Cassino (240 kilometres [150 mi]) in Brazil; Eighty Mile Beach (220 kilometres [140 mi]) in north-west Australia; Padre Island beach (217 kilometres [135 mi]) in the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, USA. After adding an artificial inlet, the length of the Padre Island National Seashore is now 105 kilometres [65.5 mi]); Ninety Mile Beach, Victoria (151 kilometres [94 mi]) in Victoria, Australia; Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh (120 kilometres [75 mi]) in Bangladesh; Naikoon Provincial Park (100 kilometres [62 mi]) in the north-east of Haida Gwaii, Canada; 90 Mile Beach (88 kilometres [55 mi]) in New Zealand; Playa Novillera beach (about 82 kilometres [51 mi]) in Mexico; Fraser Island beach (75 kilometres [47 mi]) in Queensland, Australia, located on the world's largest sand island; Troia-Sines Beach (65 kilometres [40 mi]) in Portugal; Long Beach Peninsula (45 kilometres [28 mi]), the world's longest peninsula beach, in Washington, USA.
== Wildlife ==
The intertidal beach is an unstable environment that exposes plants and animals to changeable and potentially harsh conditions. The number of organisms living on these beaches is a function of sand size and wave action. Beaches with smaller waves and weak baskwash tend to have finer sand, which retains more water for use by intertidal animals. Some animals burrow into the sand and feed on material deposited by the waves. Crabs, insects and shorebirds feed on these beach dwellers. The endangered piping plover and some tern species rely on beaches for nesting. Sea turtles also bury their eggs in ocean beaches. Seagrasses and other beach plants grow on undisturbed areas of the beach and dunes. Ocean beaches are habitats with organisms adapted to salt spray, tidal overwash, and shifting sands. Some of these organisms are found only on beaches. Examples of these beach organisms in the southeast US include plants like sea oats, sea rocket, beach elder, beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae), and beach peanut (Okenia hypogaea), and animals such as mole crabs (Hippoidea), coquina clams (Donax), ghost crabs, and white beach tiger beetles.
== See also ==
== Gallery ==
== References ==
== Works cited == Andrews, Robert (2002). The Rough Guide to Britain. Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-85828-881-9.
== Further reading == Bascom, W. 1980. Waves and Beaches. Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden City, New York. 366 p. Schwartz, Maurice L. (1982). The Encyclopedia of Beaches and Coastal Environments: Volume 15 of Encyclopedia of earth sciences. Virginia: Hutchinson Ross Pub. Co. pp. 940. ISBN 0879332131.
== External links ==
Coping with beach erosion – UNESCO