Long ignored, sandy beaches play an unexpected but crucial role in marine chemistry. A new scientific study reveals their major contribution to the silicon cycle, a key element for ocean life and the global climate.
by Laurie Henry
Until recently, sand beaches were absent from the overall assessments of silicon in the ocean. This compound, although vital for diatoms (microalgae essential to the biological carbon pump), came mainly from rivers or hydrothermal vents. But a study published in February 2025 in Nature Geoscience seems to overturn this view.