The ecological roles of Neohelice granulata II: regulating species interactions.

BOTTO F.,; ALBERTI J.,; CANEPUCCIA A.,; DALEO P.,; LOMOVASKY BETINA J.,; MARTINETTO P.,; IRIBARNE O.

Neohelice granulata, a Model Species for Studies on Crustaceans. Volume I, Life History and Ecology

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Año: 2020; p. 337 - 360

Neohelice granulata inhabits soft bare sediments (herein mudflats) andsalt marshes in South Western Atlantic (SWA) estuarine and protectedenvironments. They excavate semi-permanent burrows that differ inshapes and depth between habitats and form extensive areas of highdensities (hereafter ?crab beds?) that not only modify the abioticenvironment (see Chapter 10 Volume I), but also regulate speciesinteractions. The feeding activity of these crabs differs between areasbeing herbivores in salt marshes but mainly deposit feeders in themudflats. In this chapter we will review the biological interactionsoccurring at both, the salt marsh and the mudflat, in which crabs aredirectly or indirectly involved.