Description
Driftwood is wood washed up on the beach or riverbank by the action of wind, waves, and tides. In some cases, but not always, it is a form of marine debris. In some areas, driftwood is abundant. While still floating in the water, driftwood is used by many fish and other marine animals as a shelter and food source. Pile worms and bacteria break down the wood and convert it into nutrients that then reenter the food chain. Washed-up driftwood can be used as shelter by birds and plants, among other things. Driftwood can also form the foundation for dunes. Driftwood can sometimes cause significant damage if fast ferries accidentally hit a floating tree stump or a sleeper. Therefore, driftwood is actively collected and removed from the Thames. According to Norse mythology, the first humans, Ask and Embla, were created from driftwood by the god Odin. Driftwood, carried by rivers and ocean currents in the Arctic, was the primary, and sometimes even the only, source of wood for the Inuit and other peoples in this region until they came into contact with Europeans. Today, driftwood is often used for decorative furniture and artwork. It is also a popular aquarium component.
