Anthropogenic impacts on the territoriality of the ghost crab, \u3cem\u3eOcypode quadrata\u3c/em\u3e, along the Grand Strand, South Carolina.

Research has shown that anthropogenic impact can irrevocably change our world\u27s environments, including ecosystems and animal behavior. The Atlantic Ghost Crab, Ocypode quadrata, is no exception. This study aims to evaluate how territoriality and aggression levels are influenced by human activity levels. The objective of this research was to assess two beaches, one remote and one more populated, and compare the density and characteristics of crab burrows. The two locations that were utilized in this study were Waties Island, a remote barrier island located in Horry County, South Carolina with private access. The second beach was a public beach access point along Surfside Beach, also located in Horry County. Territoriality presented itself via burrow density and diameter and depths of adjacent burrows. It was hypothesized that ghost crab burrows would be spatially less dense in more frequently visited beaches, and behaviors would tend to be more territorial and aggressive