What are the sympatric mechanisms for three species of terrestrial hermit crab (Coenobita rugosus, C. brevimanus, and C. cavipes) in coastal forests?

Terrestrial hermit crabs play a significant role in coastal ecology. For example, as seed dispersers and debris scavengers in coastal forests, they accelerate the decomposition of organic substances. In the Indo-Pacific Ocean, Coenobita rugosus, C. brevimanus, and C. cavipes are the three most commo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2018-12, Vol.13 (12), p.e0207640-e0207640
Main Authors: Hsu, Chia-Hsuan, Otte, Marinus L, Liu, Chi-Chang, Chou, Jui-Yu, Fang, Wei-Ta
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alliances
Animal behavior
Animals
Anomura - metabolism
Anomura - physiology
Behavior, Animal
Biology and Life Sciences
Coastal ecology
Coenobita rugosus
Competition
Conservation
Crabs
Crustaceans
Earth Sciences
Ecological monitoring
Ecology
Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Ecosystem
Feeding Behavior
Food Preferences
Forests
Medicine and Health Sciences
Pacific Ocean
Predation
Shells
Species
Sympatric populations
Sympatry
Sympatry - physiology
Taiwan
Terrestrial environments
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Summary:Terrestrial hermit crabs play a significant role in coastal ecology. For example, as seed dispersers and debris scavengers in coastal forests, they accelerate the decomposition of organic substances. In the Indo-Pacific Ocean, Coenobita rugosus, C. brevimanus, and C. cavipes are the three most common species of terrestrial hermit crab. Because the mechanisms that contribute to the sympatry of these three species of crab have not been identified, this study investigated the three most likely explanations: niche differences, competition, and predation. The results showed that the three species displayed niche differences in terms of seasonal activity, habitat, utilization of shells, and food preference, suggesting that competition for resources is avoided. The habitat of terrestrial hermit crabs in Taiwan is closely associated with that of humans. Our study helps improve our understanding of the ecology of terrestrial hermit crabs and their conservation.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0207640