title: 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 content, CO2 efflux rates of the surface sediment, and reduction potential. We also determined stipule fall of the mangrove tree R. mangle as a proxy for tree growth. Three treatments were applied to twelve experimental plots (13 m × 13 m each): crab removal, disturbance control and control. Within one year, the number of U. cordatus burrows inside the four removal plots decreased on average to 52% of the initial number. Despite this distinct reduction in burrow density of this large bioturbator, none of the measured parameters differed between treatments. Instead, most parameters were clearly influenced by seasonal changes in precipitation. Hence, in the studied R. mangle forest, abiotic factors seem to be more important drivers of ecosystem processes than factors mediated by U. cordatus, at least within the studied timespan of one year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Mangrove ecology group, Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pülmanns
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Paulista, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mehlig
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Mangrove ecology group, Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nordhaus
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Mangrove ecology group, Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Saint-Paul
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.|St Abbs Marine Station, St Abbs, Berwickshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diele
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001938:Brazil; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D017753:Ecosystem; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D054712:Salinity; D055871:Tidal Waves; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide