Food sources for camptandriid crabs in an arid mangrove ecosystem of the Persian Gulf: a stable isotope approach
| Autor: | Mehdi Ghodrati Shojaei, Melika Mashhadi Farahani, Ali Taheri Mirghaed, Maryam Weigt, Mohammad Reza Hemmati |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Biogeochemical cycle
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences Brachyura 0207 environmental engineering 02 engineering and technology 01 natural sciences Ecosystem engineer Inorganic Chemistry Nutrient Environmental Chemistry Animals Ecosystem 14. Life underwater 020701 environmental engineering Indian Ocean 0105 earth and related environmental sciences General Environmental Science biology Ecology Biosphere Camptandriidae Bayes Theorem biology.organism_classification Arid Diet Wetlands Environmental science Mangrove |
| Zdroj: | Isotopes in environmental and health studies. 57(5) |
| ISSN: | 1477-2639 |
| Popis: | Crabs of the family Camptandriidae are the most dominant burrowing crabs inhabiting arid mangrove forests of the Persian Gulf. They play important roles in the structuring and functioning of mangrove ecosystems by modulating biogeochemical processes and cycling of nutrients, serving as important ecosystem engineers. We analysed stable carbon (13C) and nitrogen (15N) isotope values of three camptandriid crabs (Opusia indica, Nasima dotilliformis, and Manningis arabicum) and their potential food sources in the Hara Biosphere Reserve, northern Persian Gulf. A Bayesian mixing model was used to estimate the contribution of potential food sources for consumers. The results showed that to some degree, all the four sources selected contributed to the camptandriid diets, but microphytobenthos made the most important contributions to the diet of the consumers. Mangroves do not appear to be a significant source of carbon in the diet of camptandriid crabs in the arid mangrove system of the Persian Gulf. Rather, they offer favourable growing conditions, thus boosting microphytobenthos production and availability for consumers which prefer a high nutritional and palatable source. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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