Modeling Intertidal Crab Distribution Patterns Using Photographic Mapping Among Tropical Australian Estuaries

Vermeiren, Peter; Sheaves, Marcus

doi:10.1007/s12237-014-9897-z

Cited by 10 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 87 publications

(95 reference statements)

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“…The biotic activities of crabs (such as feeding and burrowing) play an important role in nutrient cycling and energy flow in the ecosystem and contribute to the ecological engineer of mangroves and estuaries [36,61,63]. Moreover, spatial and temporal differences in the distribution of crab communities as a result of natural factors and human impacts (such as trace metal pollution) can affect the structure and function of local habitat units within the coastal habitat mozaic [67,[76][77][78].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interferences of trace metals between sediment and Dotillid crab (Ilyoplax frater) from three tidal creeks, Karachi, Pakistan

Siddiqui

Saher

2021

SN Appl. Sci.

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In the Anthropocene era, an immersion of toxic substances, i.e., trace metals, has been enhanced in the marine environment not only due to urban sprawl and industrial development but predominantly owing to incongruous management and lack of sustainable approaches. The coastal region of Pakistan shares a similar obstacle as most of the developing countries confronted. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate concentrations of eight metals (Cu, Fe, Zn, Ni, Co, Pb, Cr, and Cd) in sediment and Dotillid crab, Ilyoplax frater, at three tidal creeks in Karachi, Pakistan. All metals in sediments and crabs were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometer. The sediment pollution was evaluated by contamination degree (CD) and potential ecological risk index (RI). After depicting the metal pollution in sediments, metal accumulation, and contamination in benthic crab were investigated through total metal concentrations in crabs, accumulation factor (AF), correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results exhibited substantial differences in the concentrations of Zn, Ni, Pb, Cr, and Cd among the tidal creek sediments. Contamination factors indicated that the Cd and Pb had the highest sharing in sediment pollution, and the tidal creeks classified as moderately contaminated. All metal accumulations in Dotillid crabs showed notable spatial variations, and accumulation factors (AFs) for most of the metals were > 1.0, signifying the strong bioaccumulation of metals in crabs. Particularly, Cu, Co, and Cd levels were considerably greater (two to three times) in Dotillid crabs compared to creek’s sediments, even though they don’t share any relationship between two matrixes. Hydrographical and sedimentological traits also revealed significant interactions with metal levels in sediments and crabs. A substantial association was also noticed in Fe, Ni, and Pb between sediments and crabs. Interestingly, most of the metal AFs showed a notable inverse correlation with the environmental matrix. Exceptionally, a strong positive correlation found between the Pb concentration in crabs and sediments suggested that I. frater probably acts as an indicator of Pb pollution.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interferences of trace metals between sediment and Dotillid crab (Ilyoplax frater) from three tidal creeks, Karachi, Pakistan

Siddiqui

Saher

2021

SN Appl. Sci.

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Zonation of mangrove flora and fauna in a subtropical estuarine wetland based on surface elevation

Wang

Tang

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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In the context of sea‐level rise (SLR), an understanding of the spatial distributions of mangrove flora and fauna is required for effective ecosystem management and conservation. These distributions are greatly affected by tidal inundation, and surface elevation is a reliable quantitative indicator of the effects of tidal inundation. Most recent studies have focused exclusively on the quantitative relationships between mangrove‐plant zonation and surface elevation, neglecting mangrove fauna. Here, we measured surface elevation along six transects through the mangrove forests of a subtropical estuarine wetland in Zhenzhu Bay (Guangxi, China), using a real‐time kinematic global positioning system. We identified the mangrove plants along each transect and investigated the spatial distributions of arboreal, epifaunal, and infaunal molluscs, as well as infaunal crabs, using traditional quadrats. Our results indicated that almost all mangrove forests in the bay were distributed within the 400–750 m intertidal zone, between the local mean sea level and mean high water (119 cm above mean sea level). Mangrove plants exhibited obvious zonation patterns, and different species tended to inhabit different niches along the elevation gradient: Aegiceras corniculatum dominated in seaward locations while Lumnitzera racemosa dominated in landward areas. Mangrove molluscs also showed distinct patterns of spatial zonation related to surface elevation, independent of life‐form and season. The spatial distributions of some molluscs were correlated to the relative abundances of certain mangrove plants. In contrast, the spatial distributions of crabs were not related to surface elevation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explicitly quantify the influences of surface elevation on the spatial distributions of mangrove fauna. This characterization of the vertical ranges of various flora and fauna in mangrove forests provides a basic framework for future studies aimed at predicting changes in the structure and functions of mangrove forests in response to SLR.

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Effects of crabs on greenhouse gas emissions, soil nutrients, and stoichiometry in a subtropical estuarine wetland

et al. 2020

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Crabs may elicit effects on wetland carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and associated ecological stoichiometry. In this study, we assessed effects of crabs on carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, soil C, N, and P concentrations, and stoichiometry in upper and mid tidal flats of an estuarine wetland in China. The results showed that averaged CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes were greater in the upper and mid-tidal flats in the presence of crabs, being 46.4, 66.7, and 69.7% and 53.6, 143, and 73.1% greater than control, respectively. Mixed model analyses showed overall positive relationships between wetland soil CO2 CH4 and N2O emissions (F=4.65, P=0.033; F =42.42, P=0.042 and F=10.2, P=0.0018, respectively) in the presence of crabs, taking into account season, flooding intensity, and plot effects. This may be related to the direct effects of respiration and the indirect effects of feeding, excretion, and disturbance of soil on microorganisms and/or plant roots. There were no effects of crabs on total C or N concentrations, whereas decreased soil total P concentrations, especially in the upper tidal flats (P=0.04). Crab presence was positively associated with soil C:P and N:P ratios (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively), taking into account season, flooding intensity, and plot effects. In the upper and mid-tidal flats, soil CO2 emissions were negatively correlated with total soil C; CH4 emissions were positively correlated with ratios of C:N and C:P; and N2O emissions were positively correlated with N content. In general, global warming potential (GWP) of the upper tidal flats in the presence of crabs increased by 138% compared with the absence of crabs, and GWP of the mid-tidal flats in the presence of crabs increased by 99.3% compared to the absence of crabs. Global warming and associated flooding rise in several coastal wetland areas is favoring benthic fauna number enhancement and this in turn increase GWP of overall gas emissions further contributing to future warming rise.

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Modeling Intertidal Crab Distribution Patterns Using Photographic Mapping Among Tropical Australian Estuaries

Cited by 10 publications

References 87 publications

Interferences of trace metals between sediment and Dotillid crab (Ilyoplax frater) from three tidal creeks, Karachi, Pakistan

Interferences of trace metals between sediment and Dotillid crab (Ilyoplax frater) from three tidal creeks, Karachi, Pakistan

Zonation of mangrove flora and fauna in a subtropical estuarine wetland based on surface elevation

Effects of crabs on greenhouse gas emissions, soil nutrients, and stoichiometry in a subtropical estuarine wetland

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