"Beaches occupy a magical place in the human consciousness. We fish from their tidal waters, run with our children on the cushioning sands and dream of what waits over life's horizon as we gather for a sunset. But there is much more to be known of these coastal wonderlands. Learn in The World's Beaches their critical function as a delicate ecosystem, how to read the signs left by winds, waves, plants and animals of the beach. Discover the surprising ways our irreplaceable beaches are increasingly threatened and what must be done to save them."--Rob Lowe, Actor"Ask 100 people their views about beaches and you'll get 100 love stories. We all love the beach. The World's Beaches delivers a comprehensive view into what a beach is, why it exists and how they are increasingly at risk."--Jim Moriarty, CEO Surfrider Foundation"Read this book and you'll never look at a beach in the same way. From waves and crab tracks, to sand, gravel and climate change, this book is filled with engrossing details to remind humankind of its enduring love of beaches worldwide."--Miles O. Hayes, Coastal Geomorphologist, Research Planning, Inc."Beach visitors around the world will want to own this superb collection of images and explanations of how the beach works. It's a must-read book for anyone wanting to know more about these dynamic natural resources."--Robert A. Morton, United States Geological Survey (USGS)"We now have an outstanding, lively, readable, well illustrated and thorough resource to lead us towards a deeper understanding of the how beaches form and function and what we should be concerned for in their future. This book should be everyone's pillow and companion for the day at the beach."--Dr. Harold R. Wanless, University of Miami"The more you know about a place the more you will learn to love it, and want to protect it. The photos and captions alone in this book will gain you a great new appreciation of these precious coastlines."--Yvon Chouinard, owner, Patagonia, Inc.

Dedication Page (Santa Aguila Foundation) PREFACE (ACKNOWLEDGMENTS) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS LIST OF TABLES Part I: THE GLOBAL CHARACTER OF BEACHES Chapter 1: A WORLD OF BEACHES Beaches: Crossroads of History Beaches: Avenues of Commerce Beaches: Nature's Most Dynamic Environment Beaches: Varied Materials Beaches: Obstacle Courses Beaches: To Be or Not To Be Beaches: Comber's Delight or Nature's Trash Collector? Beaches: A Natural Laboratory Chapter 2: BEACHES OF THE WORLD What is a Beach? Recipe for Making a Beach Classification of Coasts and Beaches Classifications and a Global Model Beach Sediments and the Plate Tectonic Setting Beaches as Landforms Climate and Types of Coasts We Stand on Their Shoulders Chapter 3: OF WHAT ARE BEACHES MADE: SEDIMENTS Beach Sediments Grain Size, Sorting and Shape Grain Composition Terrigenous Sediments Heavy Minerals Carbonate Sediments Other Beach Materials Chapter 4: HOW BEACHES WORK: WAVES, CURRENTS, TIDES AND WIND The Most Dynamic Place on Earth Waves Wave Energy Wave Types Breakers Wave Refraction, Diffraction and Reflection Currents (Alongshore; Onshore; Offshore) Wave-Current-Sediment Interaction Tsunamis Tides Tides and Beach Groundwater Other Water Level Changes Surges El Nino Wind The Global Picture Chapter 5: THE FORM OF THE BEACH: CRABS-EYE AND BIRDS-EYE VIEWS Beach Profiles: The Crab's Eye View Profile Changes Beach Plans: The Bird's Eye View Berms and Cusps Washover Fans Offshore Bars Part II: HOW TO READ A BEACH Chapter 6: THE BEACH SURFACE UP-CLOSE: IMPRINTS OF TIDES, CURRENTS, AND WAVES Near-Shore, Beach, and Tidal Flat Features Ripple Marks Modified Ripple Marks Swash and Backwash Features Other Surface Features Chapter 7: ESCAPE FROM WITHIN: AIR AND WATER IN THE BEACH Knee Deep in Sand: Airy Beaches Air Escape Structures Watery Beaches and Water Escape Structures Chapter 8: WHICH EVER WAY THE WIND BLOWS: REWORKING THE BEACH SURFACE Wind on Wet Sand and Mud Wet-to-Dry Transition Structures Wind on Dry Sediment Dunes and Dune Structures Dune Plants: Surviving in a Desert Chapter 9: BEACH CREATURES: TRACKS, TRAILS, AND TRACES Beach Animals from Micro to Macro Macrofaunal Clues Molluscs (clams and snails) Crustaceans Chelicerata Polychaetes Other Invertebrate Animals Vetebrates Evidence of the Habitat Role of Animals Chapter 10: CARBONATE BEACHES: SEA SHELLS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL Carbonate Shells, Skeletons, and Secretions Other Carbonate Sediments Non-Calcareous Plant and Animal Remains Shell Abundance Where do Seashells Come From? The Significance of Broken Seashells Shell Rounding Orientation of Shells on the Beach Secondary Shell Color Shell Collecting: An Environmental Afterthought Chapter 11: DIGGING THE BEACH: INTO THE THIRD DIMENSION Bedding Black Sands and Cross Bedding Burrows and Bioturbation Part III: THE GLOBAL THREAT TO BEACHES Chapter 12: BEACHES AND PEOPLE Coastal Engineering Hard Stabilization Soft Stabilization Other Damaging Activities Water Pollution Oil Spills The Environmental Truths About Beaches Chapter 13: EPILOGUE The Urbanized Beach: From Middens to the Maelstrom of Development GLOSSARY REFERENCES