TY - JOUR
T1 - Differences in prey capture behavior in populations of blue crab (callinectes sapidus rathbun) from contaminated and clean estuaries in New Jersey
AU - Reichmuth, Jessica M.
AU - Roudez, Ross
AU - Glover, Terry
AU - Weis, Judith S.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This project was funded in part by a Rutgers University Marine Field Station Graduate Student Research award and a Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MERI) grant. We thank MERI Senior Naturalist B. Bragin, for providing assistance with trawling, Dr. P. Jivoff for providing green crab traps that were used for field-transplanted crabs, Dr. P. Weis for the use of laboratory facilities for Hg analysis, and T. Proctor for assistance with Hg analysis. We also thank Dr. L. Bergey, A. Candelmo, J. Lord, Dr. J. MacDonald, J. Ramirez, S. Shahrestani, and R. Weatherford for field and laboratory assistance. Finally, we thank the anonymous reviewers for the input they have provided, which greatly improved this manuscript.
Copyright:
Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2009/3
Y1 - 2009/3
N2 - Populations living in contaminated environments may exhibit behavioral changes that can alter predator-prey interactions. Blue crabs from the contaminated Hackensack Meadowlands (HM) had reduced ability to capture juvenile blue crabs and adult mummichogs (both active prey) compared with crabs from a reference site (Tuckerton (TK)). However, they consumed equivalent amounts of ribbed mussels and fiddler crabs, which are less active prey. Crabs may have reduced coordination rather than appetite or motivation. The lab data are supported by stomach analysis of field-caught crabs. HM crab stomachs contained ~60% algae, plant material, detritus, and sediment and much lower weights of crab, fish, and other live food than TK crabs. However, the relative absence of bivalves in their diet may reflect reduced amounts available. When TK crabs were caged in HM or fed food from HM in the lab for 8 weeks, their prey capture ability declined significantly, and mercury in their muscle tissue increased significantly, indicating that environmental factors were responsible for the behavioral differences. When HM crabs were caged in TK or fed fish from TK in the lab for 8 weeks, their prey capture ability improved significantly. Mercury levels were variable and did not show a significant decrease.
AB - Populations living in contaminated environments may exhibit behavioral changes that can alter predator-prey interactions. Blue crabs from the contaminated Hackensack Meadowlands (HM) had reduced ability to capture juvenile blue crabs and adult mummichogs (both active prey) compared with crabs from a reference site (Tuckerton (TK)). However, they consumed equivalent amounts of ribbed mussels and fiddler crabs, which are less active prey. Crabs may have reduced coordination rather than appetite or motivation. The lab data are supported by stomach analysis of field-caught crabs. HM crab stomachs contained ~60% algae, plant material, detritus, and sediment and much lower weights of crab, fish, and other live food than TK crabs. However, the relative absence of bivalves in their diet may reflect reduced amounts available. When TK crabs were caged in HM or fed food from HM in the lab for 8 weeks, their prey capture ability declined significantly, and mercury in their muscle tissue increased significantly, indicating that environmental factors were responsible for the behavioral differences. When HM crabs were caged in TK or fed fish from TK in the lab for 8 weeks, their prey capture ability improved significantly. Mercury levels were variable and did not show a significant decrease.
KW - Behavior
KW - Blue crab
KW - Callinectes sapidus
KW - Pollution
KW - Predation
KW - Predator
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U2 - 10.1007/s12237-008-9130-z
DO - 10.1007/s12237-008-9130-z
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:60449118876
SN - 1559-2723
VL - 32
SP - 298
EP - 308
JO - Estuaries and Coasts
JF - Estuaries and Coasts
IS - 2
ER -