Effect of Bivalves’ Sand Burial Capacity on Predation in the Invasive Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus
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Publication date
2024-06-20ISSN
2077-1312
Abstract
In the Ebro Delta (Catalonia, Spain), the abundance of burrowing bivalves has dramatically decreased, with the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, being blamed by shellfish collectors. Trends from 2010 evidence a decrease in the capture of clams (Ruditapes spp.) before 2016 (start of blue crab fisheries), although a further decline in both clams and cockles (Cerastoderma glaucum) occurred in 2018. In contrast, captures of razor clams (Ensis siliqua) have increased by 3.6-fold since 2016. Predation risk for these taxa, with contrasting burrowing capacities (1.7 ± 0.3 cm, 0.4 ± 0.2 cm, and 26.3 ± 0.1 cm, respectively), was assessed using predation preference (N = 5 tanks; 5 individuals of each species) and no-choice experiments (N = 5 tanks; 15 individuals of the same taxa) in the absence and presence of sand. The results showed that, in the absence of sand, razor clams were fully preyed upon in 24 h, clams in 96 h, and cockles reached 60% after 144 h. Conversely, when sand was present, only 4% of razor clams were predated, while clams and cockles reached 60–100% in 120–144 h. The no-choice results featured similar patterns, depending on substrate availability. Overall, clams and cockles appear to be greatly vulnerable to blue crab predation, whereas razor clams may escape thanks to their deeper burrowing capacity.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
637 - Produce of domestic (farmyard) animals and game
Pages
11
Publisher
MDPI
Is part of
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Citation
Patricia, Prado, Ignasi Gairin, and Falco Silvia. 2024. “Effect of Bivalves’ Sand Burial Capacity on Predation in the Invasive Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus.” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 12 (6): 1028. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12061028.
Grant agreement number
MICIU/Programa Estatal de generación del conocimiento y fortalecimiento científico y tecnológico del sistema I+D+I y Programa Estatal de I+D+I orientada a los retos de la sociedad/PID2020-118476RR-C21/ES/Ecology and impact of the Atlantic blue crab in Spain Mediterranean coastal lagoons, estuaries, and adjacent waters/ECESIS
Program
Aqüicultura
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2661]
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/