Habitat restrictions in early benthic life: experiments on habitat selection and in situ predation with the American lobster

Wahle, Richard A.; Steneck, Robert S.

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(92)90077-n

Cited by 222 publications

(159 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Wahle 1992, Wahle & Steneck 1992, Cobb & Wahle 1994, Eggleston 1995, Lawton & Lavalli 1995. This is even more evident for lobsters where cobble beds in shallow zones represent a n almost exclusive nursery ground.…”

Section: Several Ecological Studies On Homarus Americanusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several species of benthic fish have been shown to prey upon Cancer irroratus (Reilly & Saila 1978, Malpass 1992. Field studies in this region have shown the importance of several fish species a s consumers of small crabs a n d lobsters (Wahle & Steneck 1992). Small crabs predominate in the guts of several species of benthic fish (Palma pers.…”

Section: Several Ecological Studies On Homarus Americanusmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Palma¹,

Wahle²,

Steneck³

1998

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The abundance of many invertebrates with planktonic larval stages can be determined shortly after they reach the benthos. In this study, we quantified patterns of abundance and habitat utilization of early benthic phases of the American lobster Homarr~s americanus and the rock crab Cancer irroratus. These 2 decapods are among the most common and abundant macroinvertebrates in coastal zones of the Gulf of Maine, with similar densities of larger individuals. Settlement and early postsettlement survival indicate that lobsters are highly substrate-specific early in life, settling predominantly in cobble beds. Crabs appear to be less selective, settling both in cobble and sand. Cumulative settlement of crabs, inferred from weekly censuses over the summer, was an order of magnitude greater than that of lobsters over the same time period. However, only crabs showed significant postsettlement losses. Although the identity of specific predators is unknown, predator exclusion experiments and placement of vacant uninhabited nursery habitat suggested that post-settlement mortality rather than emigration was respons~ble for these losses. The selectlve habitat-seeking behavior and lower post-settlement mortality of lobsters is consistent with their lower fecundity and later onset of reproductive maturity. The patterns observed for crabs, however, suggest a different strategy which is more in accordance with their hlgher fecundity and earlier onset of maturity. It is possible that lower fecundity but greater per-egg investment, along with strict habitat selection at settlement and lower post-settlement mortality, allows adult lobster populations to equal adult populations of crabs. This occurs despite crabs being more fecund and less habitat-selective settlers but sustaining higher postsettlement mortality.KEY WORDS: Settlement -Early post-settlement . Predation . Mortality -S u~v o r s h i p . Substrate type .

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Section: Several Ecological Studies On Homarus Americanusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Several Ecological Studies On Homarus Americanusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Palma¹,

Wahle²,

Steneck³

1998

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Hence, their distribution is more restricted than that of adults. In particular, the need for spatial refuges from predation is more acute in the more vulnerable (smaller)juveniles (Wahle & Steneck, 1992, and examples therein). On tidal flats predation pressure on juvenile macrofauna is heavier in the lower than in higher parts (Reise 1983 In several macrobenthic species of the tidal flats of the Wadden Sea the highest densities of juveniles are indeed found in the higher parts of the tidal fiats; the less vulnerable adults of the same species are common over a wider depth range, and more abundant in lower parts, than the juveniles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Successive changes in distribution patterns as an adaptive strategy in the bivalveMacoma balthica (L.) in the Wadden sea

Beukema

1993

Helgolander Meeresunters

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During their first year in the Wadden Sea, high proportions of the tidal-flat populations of the telhnid bivalve Macoma balthica (L.) redistribute twice: immediately after their settlement in late spring, the postlarvae show a net transportation in a shoreward direction -whereas in the subsequent winter, the grown spat move in the reverse direction. As a consequence of these two periods of high mobihty, distribution patterns shift twice: though initial settlement takes place mainly in the lower half of the intertidal, most spat grow to a size of ~-0.5 cm in the upper half of it, whereas most adults live in the middle and lower zones. The successive distribution patterns of spat and older Macoma are described in detail for Balgzand, an extensive tidal-flat area in the westernmost part of the Wadden Sea. Long-term observations in this area and pubhshed evidence from other areas are used to evaluate the suitability of different tidal zones as a habitat for successive life stages of Macoma. For spat, the upper zone is a more favourable habitat than the lower, because predation pressure (mainly from shrimp) and disturbance are less and growth is more rapid. For adults, the upper parts are no longer a favourable habitat, because the few animals that stay suffer from high parasite load, low survival, slow growth and low reproductive output, tt is concluded that in their successive life stages the majority of M. balthica live at the intertidal level most favourable to them. The strategy of timely shifts tO areas more suitable to the next life stage contributes to the success of the species: it is the most widespread and common (and one of the most stable) macrozoobenthic species in the Wadden Sea.

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“…For most crustaceans, the risk of predation diminishes with increasing body size (ORENSANZ; GALLUCI, 1988;WAHLE;STENECK, 1992;HARRISON;CRESPI, 1999). Although more susceptible to predation, small-sized crabs developed many strategies to avoid predation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecomorphology of crabs and swimming crabs (Crustacea DecapodaBrachyura) from coastal ecosystems

Marochi

Masunari

2016

Braz. j. oceanogr.

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Brachyuran crabs are one of the most diverse taxa of crustaceans, occurring in almost all coastal habitats. Due to their high morphological diversification, the authors sought to ascertain the existence of morphological patterns related to the habitat of coastal brachyuran crabs. We analyzed 17 species from mangrove forests, rocky shores, sandy beaches and exclusively aquatic marine/estuarine ecosystems. A total of 16 linear measurements of males and 17 of females were obtained for each habitat. We were able to discriminate three functional groups of crab species, based on their habitat: 1. Complex Substrates, 2. Semiterrestrial, 3. Exclusively Aquatic. The species belonging to the Complex Substrates group had long ambulatory legs, as well as being heteroquely related to uneven terrain. Semiterrestrial species showed ambulatory legs of different sizes, allowing them to walk easily on the terrestrial terrain due to the long fourth ambulatory leg, and long eyestalks which are important for visual communication. Exclusively Aquatic species showed the largest carapace widths and the shortest eyestalks. The presence of different crab lineages in the environments analyzed allows us to demonstrate the clear evolutionary convergence, by which the crabs adapted to their specific habitat and environment.

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Habitat restrictions in early benthic life: experiments on habitat selection and in situ predation with the American lobster

Cited by 222 publications

References 57 publications

Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Successive changes in distribution patterns as an adaptive strategy in the bivalveMacoma balthica (L.) in the Wadden sea

Ecomorphology of crabs and swimming crabs (Crustacea DecapodaBrachyura) from coastal ecosystems

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