Feeding ecology of Parasesarma plicatum and its relation to carbon structuring in mangrove ecosystem

The study focused on litter processing efficiency of the sesarmid crab, Parasesarma plicatum under experimental conditions and its possible role in carbon structuring in the mangrove habitats. The feeding experiment of crab with different stages of leaves of diverse mangrove species revealed that senescent brown leaves were preferred the most, due to their lesser tannin content. The leaf consumption differed significantly with leaf state as well as mangrove species and highest was for Avicennia officinalis brown leaves. The ingestion-egestion assay of P. plicatum revealed that it assimilated an average of 65.75 ± 10.30% of mangrove litter. The experimental study also revealed that rather than already reported C/N ratio, the inhibiting factors such as tannin and lignin like substances control the palatability of leaves by the crab species. The analysis of carbon and nitrogen variants in the experimental water indicated that handling of leaves by the crab helps in leaching of nutrients to the substratum. Therefore, the findings of litter processing efficiency of this sesarmid crab from the present study highlights its significance in structuring the carbon in natural mangrove habitat.