What are the sympatric mechanisms for three species of terrestrial hermit crab (Coenobita rugosus, C. Brevimanus, and C. Cavipes) in coastal forests?
Journal
PLoS ONE
Journal Volume
13
Journal Issue
12
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
Abstract
Terrestrial hermit crabs play a significant role in coastal ecology. For example, as seed dispersers and debris scavengers in coastal forests, they accelerate the decomposition of organic substances. In the Indo-Pacific Ocean, Coenobita rugosus, C. brevimanus, and C. cavipes are the three most common species of terrestrial hermit crab. Because the mechanisms that contribute to the sympatry of these three species of crab have not been identified, this study investigated the three most likely explanations: niche differences, competition, and predation. The results showed that the three species displayed niche differences in terms of seasonal activity, habitat, utilization of shells, and food preference, suggesting that competition for resources is avoided. The habitat of terrestrial hermit crabs in Taiwan is closely associated with that of humans. Our study helps improve our understanding of the ecology of terrestrial hermit crabs and their conservation. © 2018 Hsu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Other Subjects
article; competition; ecology; food preference; forest; habitat; hermit crab; human; nonhuman; predation; sympatry; Taiwan; animal; animal behavior; Anomura; ecosystem; feeding behavior; forest; metabolism; Pacific Ocean; physiology; Animals; Anomura; Behavior, Animal; Ecosystem; Feeding Behavior; Food Preferences; Forests; Pacific Ocean; Sympatry; Taiwan
Type
journal article