Carbon movement and assimilation by invertebrates in estuarine habitats at a scale of metres

Guest, M.A.
Connolly, R.M.
Loneragan, N.R.

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Publication date

January 2004

Publisher

Inter-Research Science Center

Language

English

Abstract

Theories of large-scale (kilometres) movement of carbon within and from estuaries are often not supported by empirical data, and this provided the basis for a smaller-scale (i.e. 30 m), intermediate (2 to 30 m) and fine (<2 m). The carbon stable isotope signatures of 2 crab and 2 gastropod species were measured at different positions in saltmarsh and mangrove habitats (centre, intermediate and edge in the saltmarsh, intermediate and centre positions in adjacent mangroves) at 5 sites. The δ13C signatures of crabs collected from the saltmarsh (-15.6 ± 0.2‰) were significantly more enriched than those of crabs from the mangrove habitat (-22.1 ± 0.3‰), but did not differ between positions within each habitat. The δ13C signatures of crabs in the...