The hermit crab-shell relationship through the lens of interaction networks: The use of network metrics and species role across communities

Autor(es)

da Silva, Alexandre R. ^[1] ; Rodrigues, Gabriel F. B. ^[2] ; Lima, Daniel ^[3] ; Cobo, Valter J. ^[4] ; da Costa, Rogerio C. ^[5] ; Castilho, Antonio L. ^[2]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Norte Parana UENP, Campus Cornelio Procopio, BR-86300000 Cornelio Procopio, Parana - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Dept Zool, Inst Biociencias Botucatu, NEBECC Nucleo Estudos Biol Ecol & Cult Crustaceos, Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Fluminense, Dept Biol Marinha, Niteroi, RJ - Brazil

^[4] Univ Taubate UNITAU, Lab Biol Marinha, Inst Basico Biociencias, Taubate, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Lab Biol Camaroes Marinhos & Agua Doce LABCAM, Dept Ciencias Biol, Fac Ciencias, Bauru, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: AUSTRAL ECOLOGY; v. 45, n. 7 MAY 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Hermit crabs are among the most unique crustaceans because they have a non-calcified pleon, and they often use empty gastropod shells for shelter and protection. The lack of an adequate shell impacts their growth, reproduction and other population features especially because the shell resource might not be found for the entire population or community. This study focuses on the relationship between hermit crabs and their shells using network metrics. We analysed the nestedness, modularity, network specialisation, species specialisation and species role in eight hermit crab communities from two different types of substrate (rock and soft bottom). Most of these communities had a modular and non-nested pattern. Some communities presented different specialisation levels in terms of resource use (generalist or specialist) with species showing different roles across communities. These patterns could be related to the intra-/interspecific competition mechanism and by the resource (shell) usage pattern in the different regions. According to species roles, some species characterised as connectors can be addressed as conservation targets. The network approach in hermit crab/shell relationship proved to be an important tool in assessing their interaction in a community level. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 09/54672-4 - Biologia reprodutiva e dinâmica populacional dos camarões Penaeoidea (Crustacea, Decapoda) em duas regiões do sudeste brasileiro: efeito latitudinal e proposta para o período de defeso
• Beneficiário: Rogério Caetano da Costa
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 10/50188-8 - Crustáceos decápodes: multidisciplinaridade na caracterização da biodiversidade marinha do estado de São Paulo (taxonomia, espermiotaxonomia, biologia molecular e dinâmica populacional) (Biodiversidade Marinha)
• Beneficiário: Fernando Luis Medina Mantelatto
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Temático