Mangrove crab

A crab that lives in or depends on mangrove forests, where it may feed on leaves, algae, or other organic matter.

Leaf-litter decomposition: The breakdown of fallen leaves and other plant material by organisms and physical processes. Crab feeding and fragmentation can accelerate the breakdown of mangrove leaves.
Mangrove: A salt-tolerant tree or shrub that grows in coastal intertidal environments. Mangroves create the forest habitat and supply much of the leaf litter used by crabs.
Mangrove restoration: The rehabilitation of degraded mangrove forests through natural recovery or deliberate intervention. Crab abundance and burrowing can indicate whether restored mangrove habitat is developing ecological function.
Sesarmid crab: A crab in the family Sesarmidae, many of whose species inhabit tropical shores and mangroves. Some sesarmid crabs collect and consume mangrove leaves, making them prominent litter processors.
Detritivore: An organism that obtains nutrients by consuming dead organic matter. Many mangrove crabs obtain food from decomposing leaves and other detritus.
Intertidal zone: The coastal area alternately exposed and submerged by tides. Mangrove crabs occupy shores where tides regularly change access to water and food.
Blue carbon: Carbon captured and stored by coastal and marine ecosystems, including mangroves. Crab feeding and burrowing influence how mangrove soils process and retain organic carbon.
Mangrove tree crab: A climbing crab associated with mangrove trees, including species in the genus Aratus. It illustrates that mangrove crabs may feed and shelter above the forest floor.
Bioturbation: The reworking of soil or sediment by living organisms. Crab burrowing mixes mangrove sediment and changes its oxygen and nutrient conditions.
Estuary: A coastal water body where river freshwater mixes with seawater. Many mangrove forests and their crab communities occur in estuaries.

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