The effect of urban storm-water runoff on sesarmid crabs

Urban development is becoming increasingly common along landward margins of mangroves and results in increased impervious surfaces which collect and facilitate discharge of storm-water at point locations into the mangrove swamp. In contrast, natural storm-water inputs into mangroves are largely diffuse flows. Along the central Queensland coast Neosarmatium trispinosum and Parasesarma erythrodactyla are the most abundant species of sesarmid crabs occuring within these mangroves. Following a trial that found burrow counts were the most reliable estimate of relative crab abundance, comparisons were made between mangroves receiving storm-water input and control sites that were not affected.