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Kwan KY, Fu Y, Zhong M, Kuang Y, Bai H, Zhang C, Zhen W, Xu P, Wang CC, Zhu J. Spatiotemporal Distribution of Asian Horseshoe Crab Eggs Are Highly Intermingled with Anthropogenic Structures in Northern Beibu Gulf, China. J Ocean Univ China 2022; 21:531-540. [PMID: 35582547 PMCID: PMC9098372 DOI: 10.1007/s11802-022-5164-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Identification, protection and restoration of spawning habitats are vital for protecting the depleted species. Asian horseshoe crabs are ecologically important macroinvertebrates in coastal and estuarine ecosystems. However, their spawning habitat studies were limited to several reports in tropical regions, possibly due to the lack of modified survey methods, particularly in habitats with a lower density of spawning adults, and/or intermingled with anthropogenic structures. In this study, the year-round egg distribution and spawning habitat baselines of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda and Tachypleus tridentatus were determined in the northern Beibu Gulf, China. Our findings demonstrated that the peak spawning occurred in June-July and ceased in November-January when the average water temperature dropped below 20 °C. Egg aggregations were found < 10 cm beneath the sediment surface with regular tidal inundation, regardless of seasonal changes, in the vicinity of natural and artificial structures with elevated, mildly sloping substratum within the high tide zones. The nests were characterized by medium-sized sediment grains (0.5-0.9 mm), high temperatures (31-34°C), low water contents (0.8%-0.9%), and total organic carbon contents (0.5%-0.7%), which might maximize the hatching success. The identified nesting beaches were close to nursery habitats for juveniles, and tidal creeks were present as the possible corridor connecting these two important habitats through the dominant mangrove forests. The findings provide valuable insights in the scope of spawning behavior and nest-site selection of Asian horseshoe crabs under a mixture of natural and artificial structures, which could benefit future management efforts for the exploited spawning populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kit Yue Kwan
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Yijian Fu
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Mufeng Zhong
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Yang Kuang
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Haiwei Bai
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Ce Zhang
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Wenquan Zhen
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Peng Xu
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Qinzhou, 535011 China
| | - Chun-Chieh Wang
- Guangxi Beibu Gulf Marine Research Center, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, 530007 China
| | - Junhua Zhu
- College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf Ocean Development Research Center, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011 China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Qinzhou, 535011 China
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