Blue crab,<Emphasis Type="Italic">Callinectes sapidus</Emphasis>, response to the invasive common reed,<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis>: Abundance,size, sex ratio,and molting frequency |
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| Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Paul?R?JivoffEmail author Kenneth?W?Able |
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| Institution: | 1.Department of Biology,Rider University,Lawrenceville;2.Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Marine Field Station,Rutgers University,Tuckerton |
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| Abstract: | Much effort has been directed recently at restoring marshes, by the removal of the invasive common reed,Phragmites australis, yet it is not clear how fish and invertebrates have responded either to the invasion ofPhragmites or to marsh restoration. The blue crab,Callinectes sapidus, uses marsh habitats during much of its benthic life. We investigated the response of blue crabs toPhragmites invasion and restoration efforts by comparing crab abundance (catch per unit effort), mean size and size frequency distribution,
sex ratio, and molting of crabs in three physically similar areas differing in marsh vegetation;Spartina-dominated,Phragmites-dominated, and a treated area (Phragmites removed and now dominated bySpartina) in one marsh in the upper portion of Delaware Bay. Field sampling occurred monthly (April to November) from 1999 to 2001
using replicate daytime otter trawls in large marsh creeks. Crabs were categorized by carapace width into recruits (<30 mm),
juveniles (30–115 mm), and adults (>115 mm). Juveniles dominated the system, representing 69.4% of all crabs. Similar monthly
increases in mean size and molting patterns during the growing season (May–August) occurred inSpartina (natural and treated sites) andPhragmites sites suggesting that, subtidal habitats, used for molting, in these areas do not differ. More juveniles in the feeding molt
stage (i.e., intermolt) than in other molt stages and more recruits predominantly in the feeding molt stage than adults were
inSpartina, suggesting differences in the marsh surfaces used as feeding habitats withSpartina being preferred. Sex ratios of each life history stage were skewed towards males, but this was related to the low salinity
of Alloway Creek, rather than marsh surface vegetation. Our results suggest that marsh surface vegetation influences the way
blue crabs use marsh surface habitats, thus restoration efforts focusing on changing vegetation type may have a positive influence
on blue crabs. |
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