Nitrogen enrichment changed the biogeochemical role of sesarmid crabs by shifting their diets in tropical mangrove ecosystems.

ABSTRACT

Sesarmid crabs modulate nutrient dynamics of tropical mangroves through their leaf-eating habit. How N enrichment may alter this regulatory role, and the implications for mangrove nutrient dynamics, remain unclear. Using a mesocosm experiment, we tested how N enrichment could change the microphytobenthos (MPB) communities, thus modifying the crabs' diet and their role in nutrient dynamics. The factorial experiment combined with field investigation revealed a significant increase in the relative abundance of cyanobacteria. Stable isotope analysis suggested that the main carbon source of crabs shifted from leaf litter to cyanobacteria in mesocosms under both high (20×) and low (2×) N enrichment treatments. The significantly lower total cellulase activity of crabs in the mesocosms might explain the decreased carbon assimilation from leaf litter. The changes in the MPB and the microbiome with N enrichment in the presence of crabs may drive significantly higher carbon processing rate in tropical mangroves.