La Plage Webcam

This bonanza of nutrition delivered by the sea to the birds, crabs and other creatures turns out to be vitally important. A pulse of energy results in greater reproductive output, in other words more babies. And these baby-boom years have important consequences because they boost the population density. In leaner years, when food and reproduction might be limited, this extra boost can make a big difference to survival of population and species.
Last Sunday afternoon, hearing the beach disco at the Guanahani Hotel pound out an unrelenting bass line to the cheering party-goers, reveling in the summer music, I was aware that there truly was a sex and rock and roll party in full swing. This one was in the seaweed and with birds and winged insects and the crabs at least.
We humans will benefit from the nutrient influx provided by sargassum to the coast and oceans. The greater productivity cascades through the food web including into fisheries. And there are immediate uses; sargassum weed is a great source of nutrition for plants. And if collected and washed off, it provides excellent fertilizer for plants. The weed that is collected from beaches can be composted or applied directly to vegetation including fruits and vegetables plants.

Deborah Brosnan

Click to expand...