USGS Science⌕ Search
Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 5220551

Distribution of the fiddler crab (Uca minax) in relation to marsh plants within a Virginia estuary

J.A. Kerwin
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The distribution and abundance of the red-jointed fiddler crab, Uca minax, was related to the distribution of marsh plants within a Virginia estuary. The crab was found in association with 15 species of marsh phanerogams, occurring with five plant species more than 20 percent of the time. These plants were Spartina alterniflora, Scirpus robustus, Distichlis spicata, Spartina patens, and Spartina cynosuroides. Densities ranged from 0-76 burrows per square meter, mean densities being 7.88 within the brackish-water marsh and 14.35 within the salt-water marsh. The crab was not obtained by sampling the freshwater marsh.

Explore related subjects

Chesapeake ScienceArticle

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

J.A. Kerwin. 1971. Distribution of the fiddler crab (Uca minax) in relation to marsh plants within a Virginia estuary. https://doi.org/10.2307/1350779

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS1974

Measurement in a marine environment using low cost sensors of temperature and dissolved oxygen

Continuous records of physical parameters of the marine environment are difficult as well as expensive to obtain. This paper describes preliminary results of an investigative program with the purpose of developing low cost time integrating measurement and averaging devices for water temperature and dissolved oxygen. Measurements were made in an estuarine area of the Chesapeake Bay over two week periods. With chemical thermometers average water temperature for the two week period was found to be equal to average water temperature measured with thermocouples plus or minus 1.0 C. The slow diffusion of oxygen through the semipermiable sides of plastic bottles permitted the use of water filled bottles to obtain averaged oxygen measurements. Oxygen measurements for two week averaging times using 500 ml polyethylene bottles were found to vary from conventionally measured and averaged dissolved oxygen by about 1.8 mg/l.

Chesapeake Bay↗