An analysis of human impact on sandy coasts of the Costa Rican Pacific, Marine Pollution Bulletin

Abstract

Increased human activities on sandy beaches have significantly impacted ecosystems. This study aims to determine whether beaches with higher tourism and human activities exhibit greater impact on various ecological indicators compared to less-visited beaches. Ecological monitoring was performed across three sandy beaches, where sand samples were collected during three visits. Sediment characteristics, macrofauna presence, crab burrows abundance, and solid waste were analyzed. Fourteen benthic macrofauna taxa, 1209 crab burrows, and 7645 intertidal organisms were recorded. Notably, 98.8 % of the solid waste consisted of plastic items. Differences in organic matter, carbonates, the number of crab burrows, and macrofauna were observed, indicating that increased tourism and human activity influence these ecological indicators. These findings represent an initial step toward more rapid and comprehensive ecological monitoring of beaches, contributing to coastal environmental management and decision-making.