Oolitic sand is pill-shaped sand prevalent on the
bottom of Great Salt Lake and several beaches. It is
soft, smooth and round unlike regular sand that is
jagged-edged. A grain of oolitic sand begins as a
brine shrimp fecal pellet or other small bit of
debris. Calcium and magnesium carbonate particles
build up around it, creating oolitic sand and
separating brine shrimp waste from the rest of the
water. In this way, oolitic sand functions as a filter
for Great Salt Lake.
Brine shrimp are
the most populous animal in Great Salt Lake. These
tiny crustaceans live in salt water around the
world, but only one species, Artemia franciscana
lives in Great Salt Lake. They measure up to 0.5
inches (1.37 centimeters) long and can live in water
with up to 33 percent salinity, according to Great
Salt Lake Ecosystem Program. They can control how
much salt gets into their body tissues better than
any other organism on Earth, due to skin lining
their stomachs and gills.
Incidentally, a massive brine shrimp harvest
occurs every Autumn. The brine shrimp are
primarily sent to Asia and South America where
they are used as feeders for commercially grown
prawn and fish.