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Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613950703566848 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Katharoyan, Chaitanya |
| author2 | Peer, Nasreen |
| author_browse | Katharoyan, Chaitanya Peer, Nasreen |
| author_facet | Peer, Nasreen Katharoyan, Chaitanya |
| author_sort | Katharoyan, Chaitanya |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131708 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:17.380Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131708 Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa Katharoyan, Chaitanya Peer, Nasreen Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Botany & Zoology. Mangrove ecology -- South Africa Crabs -- Ecology -- South Africa Crabs -- Geographical distribution Climatic changes Mangrove ecology -- Effect of temperature on Crab communities -- Environmental aspects Anthropogenic effects on climatic changes UCTD Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focused on mangroves in South Africa, located near their southern latitudinal limit, where global climate change influences their distribution. Mangroves are expanding poleward, often encroaching into adjacent saltmarsh habitats, which affects the distribution and dynamics of mangrove-associated brachyuran crabs. These crabs are important ecosystem engineers, crucial for ecological processes like nutrient cycling and sediment bioturbation. This expansion of mangrove forests, attributed to historical planting efforts and climate change, makes South African mangroves an ideal setting to study the impacts of mangrove encroachment and expansion on associated macrofauna. This thesis aimed to investigate temporal changes in the brachyuran community structure, focusing on key species such as Austruca occidentalis, Neosarmatium africanum, and Cristarma eulimene. Monitoring surveys conducted over summer and winter in 2023 across eight sites along the South African east coast revealed significant changes in brachyuran community structure from 2016 to 2023 (p < 0.05). Notably, new southern distribution limits for two fiddler crab species, Paraleptuca chlorophthalmus and Tubuca urvillei were observed, adding to records of poleward shifts in species distribution. This study was also the first in South Africa to conduct analysis on the correlation between both biotic and abiotic factors and the occurrence and abundance of two sesarmid species (N. africanum and C. eulimene). This study revealed that these sesarmids have the potential to expand their distributional ranges amidst climate change scenarios, likely changing ecosystem dynamics in coastal vegetated ecosystems such as mangroves and saltmarshes. Furthermore, this thesis explored the association between mangrove encroachment and mangrove crab communities. It was found that community structure varies significantly among habitat types (mangrove, ecotone, saltmarsh), with distinct preferences for different crab species (p < 0.05). As mangroves expand into saltmarshes, species like Parasesarma catenatum and Danielella edwardsii demonstrate varying abundance patterns, suggesting potential shifts in ecosystem processes within these habitats. This expansion, driven by climate change scenarios projecting warmer temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, could further reshape coastal ecosystems by favouring mangrove-associated species in new environments. Overall, this thesis underscores the ongoing and future implications of climate change on South African mangroves and their associated macrofauna. It highlights the poleward expansion of mangroves and the consequent ecological adjustments in crab communities, emphasizing the need for continued research to understand these dynamic coastal ecosystems under changing environmental conditions. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2025-02-20T06:11:29Z 2025-02-20T06:11:29Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131708 en Stellenbosch University x, 91 pages : illustrations (some color), maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Mangrove ecology -- South Africa Crabs -- Ecology -- South Africa Crabs -- Geographical distribution Climatic changes Mangrove ecology -- Effect of temperature on Crab communities -- Environmental aspects Anthropogenic effects on climatic changes UCTD Katharoyan, Chaitanya Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa |
| title | Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa |
| title_full | Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa |
| title_short | Changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in South Africa |
| title_sort | changes in mangrove crab community structure along a southern distributional limit in south africa |
| topic | Mangrove ecology -- South Africa Crabs -- Ecology -- South Africa Crabs -- Geographical distribution Climatic changes Mangrove ecology -- Effect of temperature on Crab communities -- Environmental aspects Anthropogenic effects on climatic changes UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131708 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katharoyanchaitanya changesinmangrovecrabcommunitystructurealongasoutherndistributionallimitinsouthafrica |