La Jolla beaches attract both visitors and thousands of bean clams in summer. Bean clams, small bivalves found in the intertidal zone, exhibit boom-and-bust population cycles, with concentrations reaching up to 20,000 per square meter during peak times. They begin life as larvae in ocean currents and can spawn from April to November, with females capable of producing 50,000 eggs. Bean clams play vital roles in their ecosystem by filtering water and serving as food for various marine animals, making them an integral part of the local marine environment.
Visitors and locals flock to La Jolla's beaches in the summer, but thousands of bean clams also make their way to the shore during this time.
Bean clams are small bivalves found in the intertidal zone that live in boom-and-bust cycles, with a peak concentration of 20,000 per square meter.
Bean clams start their lives as larvae in the ocean currents and can produce up to 50,000 eggs each during spawning season.
Bean clams serve multiple roles in the ecosystem, functioning as filter feeders that clean water while also being a food source for various marine species.
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