Behavioural responses of the mangrove fiddler crabs (Ucaannulipes and U. inversa) to urban sewage loadings: Results of a mesocosm approach |
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Authors: | Fabrizio Bartolini Gil Penha-Lopes Samwel Limbu José Paula Stefano Cannicci |
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Institution: | aDipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica “Leo Pardi”, University of Florence, Italy;bLaboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Av. Nossa Sra Cabo, 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal;cFaculty of Aquatic Science and Technology (FAST), University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
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Abstract: | The study aimed at investigating the effects of sewage loadings on the behaviour of two fiddler crabs species maintained in a system of experimental mesocosms, built in a mangrove area in Tanzania and inundated with different seawater/sewage mixtures. Our results show that sewage loads led to a modification of the overall activity budget of the crab community as a result of increased hypertrophic conditions (high COD, increased chlorophyll-a concentrations). During their activity period, crabs inside contaminated mesocosms seemed to satisfy their feeding demand faster than those of the control cells, spending a significant longer time in other activities like courtship and territorial defence. Apart from being a good biological indication of ecosystem eutrophication, such a reduced foraging activity by fiddler crabs also depresses their sediment bioturbation activity, important factor for the health of mangrove systems, suggesting practical implications regarding the efficiency of mangrove-based wetlands for treatment of domestic sewage. |
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Keywords: | Sewage East Africa Mangrove Fiddler crab Behaviour Ecosystem engineer |
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