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Aspects of population ecology in two populations of fiddler crabs, Uca pugnax

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Abstract

Fiddler crabs, Uca pugnax, were collected from a highly contaminated site and a relatively clean site, both in New Jersey to determine if and how environments with varying levels of pollutants may impact aspects of population biology including individual size, morphology (major cheliped size), population density, fecundity, recruitment and survivorship of early benthic phases. Crabs from the highly contaminated site were significantly larger in size, but had lower population density, lower recruitment, reduced reproductive season and lower survivorship of early benthic phases. Our study suggests that contamination may play a role in population ecology of U. pugnax. This study also determined that the reproductive season for U. pugnax in New Jersey is much longer than reported in the literature and could potentially be impacted by global climate change.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Rutgers University Marine Field Station for financial support. We would also like to thank Justin Scioli and Project SEED for helping with data collection and laboratory experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Centenary College, 400 Jefferson Street, Hackettstown, NJ, 07804, USA

    Lauren L. Bergey

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Boyden Hall, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 195 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA

    Judith S. Weis

Authors
  1. Lauren L. Bergey
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  2. Judith S. Weis
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Correspondence to Lauren L. Bergey.

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Communicated by P.W. Sammarco.

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Bergey, L.L., Weis, J.S. Aspects of population ecology in two populations of fiddler crabs, Uca pugnax . Mar Biol 154, 435–442 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-008-0935-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-008-0935-x

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