Intertidal habitat complexity influences the density of the non-native crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus

Habitat structural complexity can provide protection from predators, potentially affecting population density of native and non-native prey. The invasive Asian shore crab, , occurs in variable densities in the rocky intertidal zone of eastern North America and northern Europe, often in densities gre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) CA), 2023-04, Vol.11, p.e15161-e15161, Article e15161
Main Authors: Towne, Zachary W, Judge, Michael L, O'Connor, Nancy J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Asian shore crab
Behavior
Brachyura
Coastal ecosystems
Density
Ecology
Ecosystem
Europe
Habitat complexity
Hemigrapsus sanguineus
Marine Biology
Population Density
Predatory Behavior
Protection and preservation
Rocky intertidal
Tide pool ecology
Wildlife conservation
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Summary:Habitat structural complexity can provide protection from predators, potentially affecting population density of native and non-native prey. The invasive Asian shore crab, , occurs in variable densities in the rocky intertidal zone of eastern North America and northern Europe, often in densities greater than in its native range. The present study examined the influence of habitat complexity on the density of . Artificial shelters of concrete pavers with stones arranged in increasing complexity were deployed in the intertidal zone along a rocky shore in southeastern Massachusetts, USA, for 21 consecutive weekly intervals in 2020. Crabs consistently reached the highest densities in the most complex shelters despite their lower internal surface area. In addition, crabs exhibited shelter selectivity based on body size, with large crabs occupying artificial shelters in greater numbers than adjacent natural substrate. In a subsequent lab study, crab activity over 1 h was observed in the presence of the same artificial shelters, under simulated tidal conditions. Shelter complexity had little influence on the number of crabs under the pavers although crabs were more active when submerged in water than exposed to air. These results show that crab density increases as habitat complexity increases, and complexity may serve as a predictor of density but not short-term behavior.
ISSN:2167-8359
2167-8359
DOI:10.7717/PEERJ.15161