Are Fiddler Crabs Potentially Useful Ecosystem Engineers in Mangrove Wastewater Wetlands? Mari Poll Bull
Loading...
Date
2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
The effect of different organic-rich sewage concentration (0%, 20% and 60% diluted in seawater) and
absence or presence of mangrove trees on the survival, bioturbation activities and burrow morphology
of fiddler crabs species was assessed. After 6 months, males of both species always showed higher survival
(80%) when compared to females (20%). Crabs inhabiting pristine conditions achieved higher
survival (67–87%) than those living in sewage-exposed mesocosms (40–71%). At 60% sewage loading, fiddler
crabs processed less sediment (34–46%) during feeding and excavated slightly more sediment (45–
80%) than at pristine conditions. While percent volume of the burrow chambers increased (13–66%) at
contaminated mesocosms for both vegetation conditions, burrows were shallower (33%) in bare cells
loaded with sewage. The results show that fiddler crabs presented moderate mortality levels in these
artificial mangrove wetlands, but mainly in sewage impacted cells. However, they still function as ecosystem
engineers through bioturbation activities and burrow construction.
Description
Full text can be accessed at
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X09002720
Keywords
Sewage, Survival, Bioturbation, Ecosystem engineer, Fiddler crabs, Mangroves
Citation
Penha-Lopes, G., Bartolini, F., Limbu, S., Cannicci, S., Kristensen, E. and Paula, J., 2009. Are fiddler crabs potentially useful ecosystem engineers in mangrove wastewater wetlands?. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 58(11), pp.1694-1703.