The occupation of artificial burrows by Helice tridens (De Haan) and the length of its stay |
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| Institution: | 1. Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain;2. Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Pg. Maritim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;3. Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, Scotland, UK;4. Universitat de Barcelona, Departament d''Ecologia, Av. Diagonal 643, 5è pis, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;5. Scottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, Argyll PA37 1QA, Scotland, UK;6. School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, LL59 5AB, Wales, UK;7. School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, England, UK;8. Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Main St, Ellon AB41 6AA, Scotland, UK;9. Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC 28403-5928, USA |
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| Abstract: | The mud-crab Helice tridens (De Haan) influences the cycling of matter in salt-marsh ecosystems through its burrowing activity. If the crabs occupy and stay in their burrows for a short time, their burrowing activity will be great, since they will continuously construct new burrows. Therefore, investigation of the relation between the crabs and their burrows is considered to be important. In the present study, the relation between pipes as a form of artificial burrow and their occupation by the crab was analyzed. A close relationship was recognized between the diameter of the pipe opening and the carapace width of the crab which occupied the pipe, while pipes with a length shorter than the depth of the crab burrows were hardly occupied. These results indicate that the diameter and length of an artificial burrow affects the likelihood of its occupation by this species of crab. The length of the crab's stay in this type of artificial burrow was generally 1 day. This result may be related to the field observation that newly made burrows frequently collapse due to water current occurring through tidal action after the crabs have left. |
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