Many people have a habit of taking sand or shells from beaches as if it were a free souvenir for self-service. If it were a one-off, there would be no problem, but it has long been carried out on a mass scale, so scientists have begun to warn that it could pose a threat both the relief and the biodiversity of the beaches. More people are aware of this, but it seems that not many have realized the risks of construction. piles of stones.
These piles, known as pyramids of stones in Scots terms, have many uses. There are those who put them on the trails to guide you along a safe and correct path. There are people who build them. for spiritual purposesas a way to connect with the land. And, most commonly these days, many visitors to the beaches and trails stand with them to take pictures and posing on social media.
It is this trend that has turned rock piles from a joke into a risk as big as sand stolen from beaches. Moving so many rocks affects many animals and plants, but the surface is also subject to greater erosion. This may seem like a harmless thing, but there is much more risk behind it than it seems.
Animals and plants affected by rock piles
Many species of animals live among rocks, so piles of rocks can literally destroy your home. This is the case, for example, with many mollusks and crabs. Also some reptiles, such as Madeira Wall Lizardare suffering the consequences of this increasingly common Instagram trend.
On the other hand, it is known that there are seabirds They build their nests in cracks between stones. That is why in 2018 Blue Planet Society warned that those who pile up the stones may be destroying these nests without even realizing it.
There are also many algae and plants that can be unknowingly destroyed during the construction of these structures. First of all, they suffer mosses and liverwortsare very similar to each other. For example, as explained in 2020 14 scientists who signed from a letter to the editor Human-Wildlife InteractionIn some of the worst affected places, such as the Ponta de São Lourenço peninsula in Madeira (Portugal), one of the victims most affected by this habit is the liverwort. Riccia Atlantica. This plant is known to be seriously endangered, so the damage caused by piles of rocks can be terrible.
Beware of soil erosion
Just as it happens when sand or pebbles are stolen from beaches, changing the location of rock piles can be very dangerous for the soil. Rocks are responsible for protect it from erosionso if they are removed and left exposed, it can look very vintage. Also, in the case of beaches, it can lead to sediment accumulation in the sea, which will affect marine biodiversity. It is a domino effect that causes further damage to ecosystems with each tile that falls.
The problem is more serious than it seems
We might think that a few piles of rocks wouldn’t hurt anyone. The problem is, it’s not just a few piles. Throughout history, these structures have been used with ritual and religious purposesbut they did no damage, as they were only a few piles in very specific places.
Nowadays, this custom is much more widespread than it seems. For example, between 2016 and 2017, a group of volunteers from Acadia National ParkIn the US, 3,500 piles of rocks were removed from just two mountains in the park.
The scientists who signed the above-mentioned letter on the island of Madeira warned that less than 200 piles of stones per hectare of land They can cause very significant soil erosion.
Therefore, it is important to warn tourists and the rest of the population not to build piles of stones on beaches or anywhere else in nature. There are already beacons and even mobile apps to guide tourists. And for posing for Instagram, we have millions of methods that do not harm ecosystems. Don’t forget about it on your vacation.
Source: Hiper Textual
