Mangrove Crab Ucides cordatus Removal Does Not Affect Sediment Parameters and Stipule Production in a One Year Experiment in Northern Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Mangrove crabs influence ecosystem processes through bioturbation and/or litter feeding. In Brazilian mangroves, the abundant and commercially important crab Ucides cordatus is the main faunal modifier of microtopography establishing up to 2 m deep burrows. They process more than 70% of the leaf litter and propagule production, thus promoting microbial degradation of detritus and benefiting microbe-feeding fiddler crabs. The accelerated nutrient turn-over and increased sediment oxygenation mediated by U. cordatus may enhance mangrove tree growth. Such positive feed-back loop was tested in North Brazil through a one year crab removal experiment simulating increased harvesting rates in a mature Rhizophora mangle forest. Investigated response parameters were sediment salinity, organic matter

SUBMITTER: Pulmanns N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5131973 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature