The winter is cold and gray

[kenneth31400]

and it is sunny and warm and glorious over here at the epicentre
of coral biodiversity. I made a troubling observation at the beach
today. The protein rich foam which is washed ashore during
high tide and left behind during low tide is taken back again by the ocean during the next high tide. I do not see any nett output of wastes by this method which is used as an analogy for waste removal by protein skimmers. The protein skimmer definitely removes DOCs but I don't think it simulates entirely what I see happening at the seashore. What do you think, Roger?

 

[rvitko]

Maybe, we also don't have the volume, plate techtonics, hurricanes, tsunamis or many of the other cleansing forces and I would be surprised if alot of the "skimmate" wasn't consumed by decomposers living in the sand while it was ashore.