Fecal Microorganisms Inhabit Sandy Beaches of Florida

A study of Florida beaches has shown that wet sand (in the intertidal zone) and dry sand above the intertidal zone have significantly more fecal bacteria than near-shore seawater. Scientists researched whether indicator bacteria survive longer in sand relative to open water and found that all feces-derived bacteria were capable of enhanced growth and survival in sand, while in seawater the bacterial populations steadily decreased over time.

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