Behavioural responses of the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, during feeding and digestion in hypoxic conditions

Bernatis, Jennifer L.; Gerstenberger, Shawn; McGaw, Iain J.

doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0392-3

Cited by 40 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…In an experimental study, Herbert et al (2011) showed that Atlantic cod Gadus morhua were more willing to enter hypoxic water when a well-oxygenated refuge was available near by, supporting the possibility that avoidance thresholds are sensitive to the spatial arrangement of DO conditions beyond the hypoxic area. Similar context-dependency of DO avoidance behavior has been increasingly noted in a number of studies (Eby & Crowder 2002, Bernatis et al 2007, Skjaeraasen et al 2008.…”

Section: Vertical Avoidance Of Bottom Water Hypoxiasupporting

confidence: 71%

“…Avoidance behavior is often characterized as a threshold response whereby organisms are rare or absent below a particular level of DO, but abundance is not strongly related to DO above the threshold (Howell & Simpson 1994, Eby & Crowder 2002, Vaquer-Sunyer & Duarte 2008. However, organisms may not avoid a single, fixed level of DO because avoidance behavior has been shown to depend on a number of factors, including other abiotic conditions (Skjaer aasen et al 2008), the nutritional state of organisms (Bernatis et al 2007), physiological and behavioral adaptations (Brady et al 2009), predation risk (Robb & Abrahams 2002), and even the spatial and temporal scale of observation (Bell & Eggleston 2005). While accounting for the numerous factors that can influence hypoxia avoidance in the field is difficult, some variability in behavioral responses to low DO and therefore variability in estimated avoidance thresholds should be expected.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Aggregation on the edge: effects of hypoxia avoidance on the spatial distribution of brown shrimp and demersal fishes in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Craig¹

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

128

101

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The northwestern Gulf of Mexico shelf experiences the largest seasonal hypoxic (dissolved oxygen, DO ≤ 2.0 mg l −1 ) zone in the western hemisphere. This study uses bottom trawl and hydrographic surveys over 3 yr to quantify low DO avoidance thresholds, patterns of aggregation in nearby oxygenated refuge habitats, and spatial overlap of brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus and several finfishes on the nearshore Louisiana shelf. On average, DO avoidance thresholds were low (1 to 3 mg l −1 ) and near incipient lethal levels for similar species, suggesting organisms avoid the lowest, lethal DO levels on the shelf. Avoidance thresholds varied both within and among years, indicating that behavioral responses to low DO are context-dependent and vary in relation to the severity of hypoxia and possibly other factors. Despite the absence of physical barriers to movement, evading organisms aggregated at short distances (1 to 3 km) just beyond the margins of the hypoxic zone, indicating that sublethal and indirect effects of hypoxia are probably most intense within a relatively narrow region along the hypoxic edge. DO avoidance thresholds and patterns of aggregation were similar between brown shrimp, the primary target of the commercial shrimp trawl fishery, and several juvenile and small adult finfishes that comprise most of the bycatch. In addition, spatial overlap between brown shrimp and finfishes was highest in the years when hypoxia was most severe, and this effect was stronger for benthic fishes than for pelagic fishes. These results suggest the potential for enhanced harvest and bycatch interactions along the margins of the hypoxic zone as an indirect effect of hypoxia-induced shifts in spatial patterns. Such spatially mediated indirect effects are an important means by which hypoxia influences mobile species in the Gulf.

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Section: Vertical Avoidance Of Bottom Water Hypoxiasupporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aggregation on the edge: effects of hypoxia avoidance on the spatial distribution of brown shrimp and demersal fishes in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Craig¹

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

128

101

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“…Many species that can cope with shortterm hypoxia by changing their behaviour or adapting physiologically cannot survive extended or severe events (Hagerman & Szaniawska 1988, Airriess & McMahon 1994. Crustaceans may generally lack efficient physiological adaptations (Bernatis et al 2007), promoting the initial vertical escape reaction. Limited anaerobic capacities may also help explain low survival rates (Hagerman & Vismann 1995).…”

Section: Mortality and Survivalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behaviour and mortality of benthic crustaceans in response to experimentally induced hypoxia and anoxia in situ

Haselmair¹,

Stachowitsch²,

Zuschin³

et al. 2010

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Crustaceans are sensitive to hypoxia and are therefore useful indicator organisms for oxygen depletions. We used the experimental anoxia generating unit in the northern Adriatic Sea to artificially induce and document hypoxia and anoxia on a small scale (0.25 m 2 per deployment). Behavioural responses and mortalities were documented for 9 crustacean species typical for the sublittoral soft bottom of the Gulf of Trieste. All species showed a similar succession of atypical responses, albeit at different thresholds. The first reaction to declining dissolved oxygen (DO) was avoidance by climbing to more oxygenated (higher) positions. The animals left their shelters, altered their activity patterns, and exposed themselves to a higher risk of predation at mild hypoxia (2 to 1 ml l -1 DO). Moderate hypoxia (1 to 0.5 ml l -1 DO) triggered changes in inter-and intraspecific interactions, resulting in aggregations of up to 27 individuals at the highest elevations. At severe hypoxia (0.5 to 0.01 ml l -1 DO), sublethal responses such as discarding of camouflage (Ethusa mascarone) were recorded, and 54% of all crustaceans died. Anoxia left most remaining individuals immobile and moribund until death. Almost all responses were related to DO thresholds -hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) had not yet evolved. Pisidia longimana, Galathea spp., and Macropodia spp. were the most sensitive; Pilumnus spinifer and Ebalia tuberosa were the somewhat more tolerant species. Only Nepinnotheres pinnotheres survived prolonged anoxia as well as high H 2 S concentrations.

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“…Low DO in the estuary is due to the influx of high salinity upwelled water from the ocean (Roegner, in review). Bernatis et al 2007 found Dungeness crabs are relatively tolerant of DO levels > 47% saturation (which more tolerant than most crustaceans). Crabs reduce food intake in hypoxia, and while they may forage in low DO areas, they move to higher O2 concentrations for digestion (which consumes oxygen).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This variation affects crab distribution and behavior, as crabs become inactive at salinities < 12 ppt (McGraw et al 1999). Another important variable is dissolved oxygen, which at low levels impairs mobility and feeding (Bernatis et al 2007). In contrast, temperature affects metabolic processes and growth rates of crabs but ranges are generally not limiting to crabs in the CRE.…”

Section: Appendix Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Eelgrass Enhancement and Restoration in the Lower Columbia River Estuary, Period of Performance: Feb 2008-Sep 2009.

Judd¹,

Thom²,

Borde

2009

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Executive SummaryThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability to enhance distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in the Columbia River Estuary to serve as refuge and feeding habitat for juvenile salmon, Dungeness crab, and other fish and wildlife. We strongly suspected that limited eelgrass seed dispersal has resulted in the present distribution of eelgrass meadows, and that there are other suitable places for eelgrass to survive and form functional meadows.Funded as part of the Bonneville Power Administration's call for Innovative Projects, we initiated a multistage study in 2008 that combined modeling, remote sensing, and field experimentation to:1. Spatially predict habitat quality for eelgrass.2. Conduct experimental plantings. Evaluate restoration potential.Baseline in-situ measurements and remote satellite observations were acquired for locations in the Lower Columbia River Estuary (LCRE) to determine ambient habitat conditions. These were used to create a habitat site-selection model, using data on salinity, temperature, current velocity, light availability, wave energy, and desiccation to predict the suitability of nearshore areas for eelgrass. Based on this model and observations in the field, five sites that contained no eelgrass but appeared to have suitable environmental conditions were transplanted with eelgrass in June 2008 to test the appropriateness of these sites for eelgrass growth. We returned one year after the initial planting to monitor the success rate of the transplants. During the year after transplanting, we carried out a concurrent study on crab distribution inside and outside eelgrass meadows to study crab usage of the habitat.One year after the initial transplant, two sites, one in Baker Bay and one in Young's Bay, had good survival or expansion rates with healthy eelgrass. Two sites had poor survival rates, and one site had a total loss of the transplanted eelgrass. For submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration projects, these are reasonable success results and represent a small net gain in eelgrass in the LCRE. Crabs used both the eelgrass and unvegetated substrate, though in neither were there great abundance of the young-of-the-year crabs. During the field assessment of 12 potential transplant sites, divers discovered one site in southern Young's Bay that contained a previously undocumented eelgrass bed.This integrated project developed the first predictive maps of sites suitable for eelgrass and other SAV in the lower estuary. In addition, techniques developed for this project to assess light levels in existing and potential submerged habitats have great potential to be used in other regions for nearshore and coastal monitoring of SAV.Based on these preliminary results, we conclude that eelgrass distribution could likely be expanded in the estuary, though additional information on current eelgrass locations, usage by species of interest, and monitoring of current conditions would help develop a baseline and verify benefit. Our recommendations for future studies i...

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Behavioural responses of the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, during feeding and digestion in hypoxic conditions

Cited by 40 publications

References 48 publications

Aggregation on the edge: effects of hypoxia avoidance on the spatial distribution of brown shrimp and demersal fishes in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Aggregation on the edge: effects of hypoxia avoidance on the spatial distribution of brown shrimp and demersal fishes in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Behaviour and mortality of benthic crustaceans in response to experimentally induced hypoxia and anoxia in situ

Eelgrass Enhancement and Restoration in the Lower Columbia River Estuary, Period of Performance: Feb 2008-Sep 2009.

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