Distribution and Development of Limulus Egg Clusters on Intertidal Beaches in Delaware Bay

Weber, Richard G.; Carter, David B.

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-89959-6_15

Cited by 23 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Nest depth on the western shore of Delaware Bay ranged between 3.5 and 25.5 cm (mean 15.5, SD 3.5), although nest depth may be affected by wave energy, bioturbation, or other factors after deposition (Weber and Carter 2009). These results are similar to those found by previous investigators on Delaware Bay beaches (e.g., Hummon et al 1976;Penn and Brockmann 1994;Botton et al 1994).…”

Section: Larval Habitat Requirementssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…In Florida, cluster size was reported to be 1644 ± 103 for singly mated females and 1739 ± 93 for females with satellites (Johnson and Brockmann 2010) rising to 2365-5836 eggs/cluster in Delaware Bay (Shuster and Botton 1985;Weber and Carter 2009). In Long Island Sound, cluster size averages 3741 eggs (Beekey et al 2013) compared to 640-1280 in Cape Cod (Leschen et al 2006).…”

Section: Egg Depositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nests are primarily located between the low-tide terrace (tidal flat) and the extreme high-tide water line (Penn and Brockmann 1994;Weber and Carter 2009). Weber and Carter (2009) found that 85% of nests were deposited on the foreshore between the tidal flat and the nocturnal hightide wrack line on the western shore beaches of Delaware Bay. Penn and Brockmann (1994) noted that nests occurred in a narrower band along the high-tide line of beaches on the west coast of Florida.…”

Section: Spawning Habitatmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite significant shorebird predation on horseshoe crab eggs, such activity probably has little impact on the horseshoe crab population (Botton et al 1994). Horseshoe crabs deposit eggs at 5-25 cm deep (Weber and Carter 2009), which is beyond the reach of most short-billed shorebirds. Many eggs are brought to the surface by wave action and the burrowing activities of spawning horseshoe crabs (Nordstrom et al 2006).…”

Section: Mortalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Conservation status of the American horseshoe crab, (Limulus polyphemus): a regional assessment

Smith

Brockmann

Beekey³

et al. 2016

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

106

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Section: Larval Habitat Requirementssupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Egg Depositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Spawning Habitatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mortalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Conservation status of the American horseshoe crab, (Limulus polyphemus): a regional assessment

Smith

Brockmann

Beekey³

et al. 2016

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

106

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“…The focus for conservation has also gradually shifted specifically to the spawning locations of the horseshoe crabs. As most crabs bury their eggs approximately 15 cm from the surface and above the high tide line toward the shore (Weber and Carter, 2009), protection of coastlines in which the horseshoe crabs spawn has been vital in working to restore their numbers to previous levels .…”

Section: Conservation Effortsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Horseshoe Crabs in the Biomedical Industry and Recent Trends Impacting Species Sustainability

Dellinger

Kepley

2018

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Every year the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) arrives on shore to spawn, a sight once taken for granted. However, in addition to the gradual climate changes impacting all ecosystems, commercial demand from the widespread application of Atlantic horseshoe crab blood in industrial endotoxin testing and steady use as eel and whelk bait has brought the future of this enduring species into question. In response, regulations have been adopted to enhance the traceability and record keeping of horseshoe crab harvest, which has historically been difficult to track. However, these regulations do not restrict or limit LAL harvest in any significant manner. Still, sometimes-lethal biomedical bleeding process and associated behavioral changes pose a risk to horseshoe crab viability after bleeding and once returned to the waters. As a result, regulators and environmentalists are concerned that current trends and overfishing of this marine arthropod will significantly impact the surrounding ecosystem. This review examines their role and recent trends in the biomedical industry that are impacting these ancient creatures and the derivative effect on shorebirds, while considering emerging alternatives where feasible, as well as ways to ensure sustainable and pragmatic harvesting strategies. Ultimately, healthy populations of horseshoe crabs are vital to restoring and maintaining ecosystems while balancing the need for medical and research applications entirely dependent on these unique creatures.

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The relationships between spawning horseshoe crabs and egg densities: Recommendations for the assessment of populations and habitat suitability

Botton

Colon

Sclafani

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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1. Horseshoe crab population sizes and trends have been previously studied using surveys of spawning adults and counts of eggs from surface (top 5 cm) and deep (20 cm) sediment samples. The correlations between surface and deep eggs were studied at two locations, Delaware Bay and Jamaica Bay, USA, and the correlations between egg densities and spawning counts were examined in Jamaica Bay.2. There were significantly higher densities of eggs in deep sediments than in surface sediments. Only about 10% of the variability in surface egg density was explained by deep egg density. The numerical patterns between surface and deep eggs were similar between Delaware Bay and Jamaica Bay and across sampling dates.3. Nearly 20% of the deep samples in the combined data from Delaware Bay and Jamaica Bay with an egg density of ≥100,000 m −2 had zero surface eggs.Therefore, the use of surface eggs as an indicator of habitat suitability and spawning intensity may seriously underestimate the importance of a beach for spawning horseshoe crabs. 4. When paired with nearest survey date, Jamaica Bay spawning indices did not predict deep or surface egg densities. This may be related to a temporal mismatch between survey methods, the extreme overdispersion (patchiness) of the eggs, and/or the dynamics of egg distribution after exhumation. 5. Both egg density and spawning surveys can provide useful data on habitat suitability for horseshoe crabs and can offer excellent opportunities for student and citizen scientist engagement. More labour is required for egg surveys than spawning surveys because of the time required to sample, sort, and enumerate the eggs.

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Distribution and Development of Limulus Egg Clusters on Intertidal Beaches in Delaware Bay

Cited by 23 publications

References 18 publications

Conservation status of the American horseshoe crab, (Limulus polyphemus): a regional assessment

Conservation status of the American horseshoe crab, (Limulus polyphemus): a regional assessment

The Role of Horseshoe Crabs in the Biomedical Industry and Recent Trends Impacting Species Sustainability

The relationships between spawning horseshoe crabs and egg densities: Recommendations for the assessment of populations and habitat suitability

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