Mentor/s
Dr. Ashley Stoehr
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
Asian shore crabs (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) are invasive along rocky, Northeast coastlines in the United States. Although these crabs often form aggregations between or under rocks to evade predators like birds and fish, they also exhibit cannibalistic behavior during periods of resource scarcity. Our project is part of a comprehensive study on Asian shore crab behavior and physiology when sharing intertidal refuges. We analyzed interactions between Asian shore crabs of varying sizes. During experimental trials, two crabs of different sizes were observed in an experimental arena for 10 minutes. We tracked their movements and proximity using Kinovea and quantified observed behaviors (e.g., aggression, resting, locomotion) using ethograms. Typically, the crabs were within the same half of the experimental arena and when they were in close they tended to display aggressive behaviors regardless of body size. Ultimately, this research, which aims to understand Asian shore crab behaviors, may aid in developing effective management strategies to control their populations and mitigate their ecological impacts in intertidal zones.
College and Major available
Biology, Exercise Science BS
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Start Day/Time
4-26-2024 12:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-26-2024 2:00 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Prize Categories
Best Multidisciplinary Research or Collaboration, Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Best Visuals, Most Creative
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Aggregate Behaviors in Asian Shore Crabs (Hemigrapsus sanguineus)
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Asian shore crabs (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) are invasive along rocky, Northeast coastlines in the United States. Although these crabs often form aggregations between or under rocks to evade predators like birds and fish, they also exhibit cannibalistic behavior during periods of resource scarcity. Our project is part of a comprehensive study on Asian shore crab behavior and physiology when sharing intertidal refuges. We analyzed interactions between Asian shore crabs of varying sizes. During experimental trials, two crabs of different sizes were observed in an experimental arena for 10 minutes. We tracked their movements and proximity using Kinovea and quantified observed behaviors (e.g., aggression, resting, locomotion) using ethograms. Typically, the crabs were within the same half of the experimental arena and when they were in close they tended to display aggressive behaviors regardless of body size. Ultimately, this research, which aims to understand Asian shore crab behaviors, may aid in developing effective management strategies to control their populations and mitigate their ecological impacts in intertidal zones.
Students' Information
James Moore, Biology major, Honors student, class of 2025.
Paul Jacobson, Exercise Science major, class of 2025.