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Fiddler crab burrows alter sediment conditions and create favourable niches for the colonization of several benthic species. Previous studies examined the effect of crab burrows on benthic communities without considering changes in sediment properties. This study aimed to reveal the relationship between the abundance of benthic fauna and altered environmental conditions to elucidate the potential role of fiddler crab burrows on benthic communities. Sediment samples were collected from the burrows of three fiddler crab species to examine the burrow effect on meiofaunal and bacterial communities in the Sungai Sepang mangrove forest. A higher abundance of meiofauna, including Nematodes, Copepods, Annelids, Gastrotrichs, Ostracods and Foraminiferns, were found in burrows compared to surrounding sediments. In addition, some organisms, such as Amphipods, Isopods, Microgastropods and certain groups of bacteria, were found exclusively in fiddler crab burrows. The pH as well as the chlorophyll and organic contents were recognized as key factors affecting meiofaunal and bacterial distributions. Depth was not an important factor, But the gradual change in sediment properties along the depth gradient was responsible for the vertical distribution in benthic communities. Fiddler crab burrows, by modifying key environmental factors, affect benthic communities, including bacteria that mediate biogeochemical processes in sediments. Consequently, fiddler crab burrows are likely to contribute to enhancing the decomposition rate and nutrient cycling, which are essential for maintaining high productivity and diversity in mangrove ecosystems.
Mokhtari et al. (Thu,) studied this question.