The Wilson’s Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) is a species of concern in most southeastern U.S. coastal states, where it breeds and winters. The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan listed this species as a Species of High Concern (Prioritization Category 4), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated it as a Bird of Conservation Concern (BCC). Despite its conservation status, Wilson’s Plover population trends are poorly understood and little research has been conducted examining habitat factors affecting this species’ breeding and foraging ecology. I collected Wilson’s Plover demographic data and explored which habitat characteristics influenced breeding success and foraging site selection among three coastal habitat types (i.e. fiddler crab (Uca spp.) mud flats, beach front, and interdune sand flats) at Onslow Beach, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 2008-2009. I observed little difference between years in nest success (≥ 1 egg hatched), failure, and overall nest survival. The majority of nest failures were caused by mammalian predators. For those nests that hatched successfully, greater proportions were located in clumped vegetation than on bare ground or sparsely vegetated areas. In-season chick survival for both years was higher for nests that hatched earlier in the season, and for nests farthest from the broods’ final foraging territory. Productivity estimates (chicks fledged per breeding pair) were not significantly different between years (0.88 ± 0.26 fledged/pair in 2008, 1.00 ± 0.25 fledged/pair in 2009) despite a shift in foraging behavior, possibly related to habitat alterations and availability in 2009. My findings indicate that Wilson’s Plover adults and broods were flexible in establishing final foraging territories; in 2008 all final brood foraging territories were on fiddler flats while in 2009, final foraging territories were sometimes split between fiddler flats, beach front, and interdune sand flats. For those Wilson’s Plovers establishing territories on fiddler flats, area of the flat was the most important feature explaining use versus non-use of a particular flat; area ≥ 1250 m² was preferred. Close proximity to water and vegetative cover were also important habitat features in foraging site selection on fiddler crab mud flats, and in all habitat types combined. My findings will directly contribute to population and habitat research goals outlined in the U.S. Shorebird Plan and will supplement limited data about foraging and habitat use related to Wilson’s Plover breeding ecology. / Master of Science

In this thesis I assessed the causes of long-term changes in two large, commercially important decapod crustacean populations, American lobster (Homarus americanus) and snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), in the northwest (NW) Atlantic Ocean. By combining available time-series data, including commercial landings, research surveys, and local ecological knowledge (LEK), I explored the causes of an observed ecosystem shift in the NW Atlantic (~1950–2009) which entailed a region-wide decline of groundfish and an increase in benthic invertebrates, including these decapods. Three hypotheses were examined to explain the increase in decapod abundance: (1) the predation hypothesis, whereby a decrease in predatory groundfish led to an increase in their decapod prey (top-down effects); (2) the climate hypothesis, whereby changes in temperature or other climatic variables helped to increase decapod numbers (bottom-up effects); and (3) the anthropogenic hypothesis, whereby changes in fishing pressure drove decapod population dynamics. I explored these hypotheses separately for lobster and snow crab, which may experience different ecological and commercial pressures. First, I investigated the interactions between predatory groundfish and lobster in the inshore region of southwest Nova Scotia. Long-term fisheries-independent abundance indices for lobsters and their predators are available for Gulf of Maine (GOM) waters in the USA, but not in Canada. To address research gaps I designed and executed a survey to collect the LEK of lobster fishermen fishing in the Canadian GOM. Forty-two fishermen were interviewed. Corresponding survey results from the USA were compared to the LEK results. Both sources provided evidence for a top-down effect (predation release), contributing to observed increases in GOM lobster abundance and landings. Second, I explored relationships between lobster abundance and landings in the NW Atlantic as they may relate to temporal changes in predators, temperature, climate (North Atlantic Oscillation Index, NAOI), and fishing. Available landings data and fisheries-independent abundance estimates were collated to investigate trends in lobster abundance and catch. Links between lobster, groundfish, temperature and climate indices were explored using mixed effects models. Results offered partial support for the predation hypothesis, namely in the waters off Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and southern New England as well as broad support for a climate effect on early life stages. This effect appeared related to a region-wide climate signal, the NAOI, but was independent of changes in water temperature. Fishing effort appeared to be following lobster abundance, rather than regulating abundance in a consistent way. Third, variation in snow crab abundance was examined through meta-analysis of time-series data of cod and crab abundance and temperature. Temperature had opposing effects on the two species: snow crab abundance was negatively correlated with temperature whereas cod and temperature were positively related. Controlling for the effect of temperature, the analysis revealed significant negative interactions between snow crab and cod abundance, with cod leading snow crab up to a five-year lag. Results indicate that snow crab is largely influenced by temperature during early post-settlement years and becomes increasingly regulated by top-down mechanisms as they approach fishery recruitment. Overall, I conclude that both climate and predation can act as population controls on large decapod populations, but these variables affect decapods at different life stages.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in the accidental release of millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Photo-induced toxicity following co-exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one mechanism by which polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from oil spills may exert toxicity. Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) are an important commercial and ecological resource in the Gulf of Mexico and their largely transparent larvae may make them sensitive to PAH photo-induced toxicity. Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), an important fishery resource, have positively buoyant, transparent eggs. These characteristics may result in mahi-mahi embryos being at particular risk from photo-induced toxicity. Red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and speckled seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) are both important fishery resources in the GoM. They spawn near-shore and produce positively buoyant embryos that hatch into larvae in about 24 h. The goal of this body of work was to determine whether exposure to UV as natural sunlight enhances the toxicity of crude oil to early lifestage GoM species. Larval and embryonic organisms were exposed to several dilutions of water accommodated fractions (WAF) from several different oils collected in the field under chain of custody during the 2010 spill and two to three gradations of natural sunlight in a factorial design. Here, we report that co-exposure to natural sunlight and oil significantly reduced larval survival and embryo hatch compared to exposure to oil alone.

Contaminants such as pharmaceuticals are of increasing concern due to their ubiquitous use and persistence in surface waters worldwide. Limited attention has been paid to the effects of pharmaceuticals on marine life, despite widespread detection of these contaminants in the marine environment. Of the existing studies, the majority assess the negative effects of pharmaceuticals over an exposure period of 30 days or less and focus on cellular and subcellular biomarkers. Longer studies are required to determine if chronic contaminant exposure poses risks to marine life at environmentally relevant concentrations. Also scarce in the literature is examination of whole organism effects to identify potential community-level consequences. Two long-term studies with the antidepressant pharmaceutical, fluoxetine (the active constituent in Prozac®) were conducted to determine whether nominal concentrations detected in estuarine and coastal environments affect organism health and interactions. First, we measured whole organism metrics in the California mussel, Mytilus californianus over a period of 107 days. Specifically, we measured algal clearance rates, growth, and condition indices for both reproductive and overall health. We found that fluoxetine negatively affects all measured characteristics, however many effects are mediated by length of exposure. Perhaps the most notable result was that mussels spiked with fluoxetine cleared less algae after 30 days of exposure. Reduced growth and condition indices likely are a consequence of improper nutrition among fluoxetine-treated mussels. Any level of fluoxetine significantly affected the gonadosomatic index after 47 days. The results from this study on mussels fill an important data gap, highlighting organism-level effects of chronic exposure periods; such data more explicitly identify the impacts of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants on marine communities and ecosystems. Fluoxetine has also been documented to affect the behavior of fish and invertebrates, including freshwater and marine bivalves, crustaceans, and fish. Given that other crustaceans exhibited increased activity levels under fluoxetine exposure, we hypothesized that this would subject them to greater predation risk. In our second exposure study, we assessed whether a similar range of fluoxetine concentrations used in the mussel study altered the risk behavior of the Oregon mud crab, Hemigrapsus oregonensis, in response to a common predator, the red rock crab, Cancer productus. We conducted this study for 60 days, conducting day and night behavioral trials (with and without predators) four times a week. We found that crabs exposed to any amount of fluoxetine (3 or 30 ng/L) had increased activity levels relative to controls; however behaviors of 3 ng/L-spiked crabs were not always significantly different from controls. Among control crabs, day and night trials yielded similar results, where a clear response to the addition of the predator was observed. Crabs dosed with fluoxetine exhibited more foraging and active behaviors in the presence of the predator. Additionally, crabs spiked with fluoxetine at 30 ng/L had the greatest risk of mortality either by predation by red rock crabs or due to more aggressive behaviors among conspecifics. The results of this study shed light on a particularly unexplored area of contaminants research: how do psychoactive pharmaceuticals affect animal behavior when exposed to the low concentrations persisting in the aquatic environment for a prolonged period of time?

The effect of cattle grazing on the abundance and distribution of vegetation, burrowing crabs (Uca rapax, Uca pugnax, and Sesarma cinereum), marsh periwinkles (Littoraria irrorata), horn snails (Cerithidea pliculosa), and salt marsh snails (Melampus bidentatus) was evaluated over four seasons (summer 2000, fall 2000, winter 2001, and spring 2001) in grazed and ungrazed treatments. A Galveston Island salt marsh adjacent to Snake Island Cove was sampled at five elevations, from the water's edge to the high tidal flats. Data were analyzed for statistical differences using a two-way ANOVA in SAS. Cattle grazing may affect the vegetation and macroinvertebrate communities in salt marshes through trampling and herbivory. Vegetation resources available to other herbivores are decreased by the direct consumption of plant material by cattle. Spartina alterniflora and Salicornia virginica heights were significantly greater in ungrazed treatments than grazed for every season in the edge, upper, and middle elevation zones. Total aerial vegetative cover was also reduced significantly in grazed treatments, with the greatest impact in the edge and upper marsh. In the ungrazed treatments, S. alterniflora stem density was significantly greater in edge elevations, while both S. virginica percent cover and stem density in the edge elevation was greater. Burrowing crab populations were greater in the upper marsh and edge habitat of ungrazed treatments, while significantly greater in most of the middle marsh habitats of the grazed treatment. Size of burrowing crabs was generally significantly greater in ungrazed treatments. Cerithidea pliculosa size decreased in grazed treatments, but population had an overall increase in grazed treatments. Littoraria irrorata had very few differences between treatments, although few specimens were found. Melampus bidentatus populations were too small to evaluate thoroughly. Macroinvertebrate populations could be used to assess the overall health of grazed salt marshes.

Post-pelagic juvenile and subadult Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) (20-40 cm straight carapace length) utilize nearshore waters of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico as nursery or developmental feeding grounds. This study utilizes 10 years of entanglement netting data to characterize long-term abundance and distribution of Kemp's ridley sea turtles at index habitats in this region. Netting surveys were conducted during April-October 1993-2002, primarily at Sabine Pass, Texas and Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana. Additionally, this study takes an ecosystem-based approach to understanding factors influencing Kemp's ridley in-water abundance and distribution via the development of a conceptual model incorporating data on nesting dynamics, environmental conditions, prey availability, and predation pressure. Overall monthly mean ridley catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) peaked in the beginning of summer (April-June), probably in response to rising water temperatures and seasonal occurrence of blue crab prey. Annual mean ridley CPUE across all study areas peaked in 1994, 1997, 1999 and 2002, suggesting a 2-3 year cycle in abundance that may be related to patterns in clutch size or hatch success at the Rancho Nuevo, Mexico nesting beach. However, ridley CPUE in nearshore waters remained relatively constant or decreased slightly even as number of hatchlings released from Rancho Nuevo increased exponentially. Annual declines in Texas strandings since 1994 and subsequent increases in Florida counterparts since 1995 suggest a shift in ridley distribution from the western to eastern Gulf in recent years. Significant declines in ridley CPUE at Sabine Pass since 1997 coincided with a concurrent reduction in blue crab size, but a similar trend was not detected at Calcasieu Pass. Kemp's ridley occurrence at study sites was not significantly related to shrimping activity/by-catch. There also were no biologically significant relationships between Kemp's ridley CPUE and abiotic factors, nor were ridleys deterred from utilizing areas frequented by bull sharks. Overall, nesting dynamics and prey availability were conceptual model components appearing to have the greatest influence on nearshore ridley occurrence.

The effect of cattle grazing on the abundance and distribution of vegetation, burrowing crabs (Uca rapax, Uca pugnax, and Sesarma cinereum), marsh periwinkles (Littoraria irrorata), horn snails (Cerithidea pliculosa), and salt marsh snails (Melampus bidentatus) was evaluated over four seasons (summer 2000, fall 2000, winter 2001, and spring 2001) in grazed and ungrazed treatments. A Galveston Island salt marsh adjacent to Snake Island Cove was sampled at five elevations, from the water's edge to the high tidal flats. Data were analyzed for statistical differences using a two-way ANOVA in SAS. Cattle grazing may affect the vegetation and macroinvertebrate communities in salt marshes through trampling and herbivory. Vegetation resources available to other herbivores are decreased by the direct consumption of plant material by cattle. Spartina alterniflora and Salicornia virginica heights were significantly greater in ungrazed treatments than grazed for every season in the edge, upper, and middle elevation zones. Total aerial vegetative cover was also reduced significantly in grazed treatments, with the greatest impact in the edge and upper marsh. In the ungrazed treatments, S. alterniflora stem density was significantly greater in edge elevations, while both S. virginica percent cover and stem density in the edge elevation was greater. Burrowing crab populations were greater in the upper marsh and edge habitat of ungrazed treatments, while significantly greater in most of the middle marsh habitats of the grazed treatment. Size of burrowing crabs was generally significantly greater in ungrazed treatments. Cerithidea pliculosa size decreased in grazed treatments, but population had an overall increase in grazed treatments. Littoraria irrorata had very few differences between treatments, although few specimens were found. Melampus bidentatus populations were too small to evaluate thoroughly. Macroinvertebrate populations could be used to assess the overall health of grazed salt marshes.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 NayaraGM_DISSERT.pdf: 2481190 bytes, checksum: b1ca8d847270148db31443c379c38868 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The purpose of this study was providing population biology and reproduction data and to determine the shell utilization pattern of Clibanarius antillensis at Baixa Grande Beach, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil (4°57’22”S / 37°08’13”W), using the percentage of the different shell type that were occupied and the morphometric relationship between hermit crabs and occupied shells. Specimens were collected at two-months intervals from October 2012 to August 2013, using sampling effort of two collectors for 1 hour during spring low tides. The hermit crabs collected were identified and had their carapace shield length measured (mm). All occupied gastropod shells were identified and had their shell biometric parameters (aperture width, aperture length and internal volume) measured (mm). A total of 576 individuals ofClibanarius antillensis was obtained of which 191 were males (33.16%), 140 nonovigerous females (24.31%), 125 intersex (21.70%) and 120 ovigerous females (20.83%), using seven species of gastropods. Cerithium atratum and Stramonita haemastoma were the most occupied shells, with 69.97%, and 24.31%, respectively. The average size of male ranged from 1.43 to 9.64 mm of CEC (4.29 ± 1.56 mm); 1.6 to 6.88 mm for non ovigerous females (3.79 ± 1.18 mm); 1.42 to 8.38 mm for intersex (3.69 ± 1.36 mm) and 2.1 to 7.27 mm for ovigerous females (3.76 ± 1.09 mm). Sexual dimorphism was recorded by the larger average size attained by males in relation to females (ovigerous and non-ovigerous) and intersexes. The shells of C. atratum had higher frequency of occupation by smaller organisms, especially in the size class 3.00 -] 4.00mm, while Stramonita haemastoma housed larger organisms, predominantly in the size class 4,00--] 5.00mm. There were differences in the pattern of occupation by males, not ovigerous females, intersex and ovigerous females. Males were significantly higher than the other categories. The size difference strongly influenced the shell utilization pattern, principaly in S. haemastoma, which has the largest Shell volume, being preffered by males. The other categories have occupied most significantly shells of C. atratum due to small size and lower width of the apperture width and length of the shells. Annual size-frequency distirbutions were unimodal, with non-normal distribution. The overall sex ratio was 1: 1.36 (M: F) and did not differ significantly from the expected sex ratio of 1: 1. Ovigerous females were present in all year-round. The fecundity of the studied population was of 178.14, with an average number of eggs of 178.14 ± 85.61 ranging from 51 eggs (CEC = 3.21 xvi mm) to 325 eggs (CEC = 6.77 mm), being much smaller than that of subtropical popultions of this species. The regression analysis shows that the number of eggs increase linearly with the increase of crabs shield lenght and internal volume of shells. Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between the dimensions of hermit crabs and the utilized shells. In this study, occupation by C. antillensis varied as a function of shell morphometric charactistic, with intraspecific differences in occupation partterns also occuring at Baixa Grande Beach / O objetivo desse estudo foi fornecer dados populacionais e reprodutivos da espécie de caranguejo-eremita Clibanarius antillensis Stimpson, 1859, e definir sua preferência na ocupação de conchas de gastrópodos nos recifes de arenito, da praia de Baixa Grande, Areia Branca, Rio Grande do Norte (4°57’22”S / 37°08’13”W). As coletas foram realizadas a cada dois meses, de outubro de 2012 a agosto de 2013, utilizando esforço amostral de dois coletores por hora durante as marés baixas de sizígia. Os caranguejos-eremitas foram coletados manualmente e, em laboratório, as conchas dos moluscos e os exemplares de anomuros foram identificados e medidos. Um total de 576 indivíduos foram coletados, sendo 191 machos (33,16%), 140 fêmeas não ovígeras (24,31%), 125 intersexos (21,70%) e 120 fêmeas ovígeras (20,83%), ocupando 7 espécies de gastrópodos, sendo Cerithium atratum a mais ocupada (69,97%), seguida de Stramonita haemastoma (24,31%), Pisania pusio (1,22 %), Leucozonia nassa (3,47%), Tegula viridula (0,52%), Anachis obesa (0,35%) e Olivella minuta (0,17%). O tamanho médio dos indivíduos machos variou de 1,43 a 9,64 mm de CEC (média de 4,29 1,56 mm); de 1,6 a 6,88 mm de CEC para as fêmeas não ovígeras (3,79 1,18 mm); de 1,42 a 8,38 mm de CEC para os intersexos (3,69 1,36 mm) e de 2,1 a 7,27 mm de CEC para as fêmeas ovígeras (3,76 1,09 mm). A população apresentou dimorfismo sexual quanto ao tamanho, sendo os machos significativamente maiores do que demais categorias. Os machos ocorreram em 10 classes de tamanho, os intersexos em nove enquanto as fêmeas (ovígeras e não-ovígeras) ocorrem em apenas seis classes. Houve diferença também no padrão de ocupação de conchas. As conchas de S. haemastoma foram preferidas por machos, devido às maiores dimensões de comprimento e largura da abertura da concha, e espaço internodessas conchas. As demais categorias ocuparam mais significativamente conchas de C. atratum, devido ao seu tamanho reduzido e medidas da abertura de concha menores, promovendo maior proteção contra estresses ambientais e bióticos. As conchas de C. atratum tiveram maior frequência de ocupação por organismos menores, principalmente na classe de tamanho 3,00--]4,00 mm, enquanto S. haemastoma abrigou organismos maiores, com predominância na classe de tamanho 4,00--]5,00 mm. A distribuição da população nas classes de tamanho foi unimodal, com distribuição não normal (KS = 0,15; p <0,001), o que reflete um recrutamento contínuo ao longo do ano. A razão xiv sexual total foi de 1: 1,36 (M:F) e não diferiu significativamente da razão sexual esperada de 1:1. As fêmeas ovígeras estiveram presentes em todos os meses amostrados. O índice de fecundidade média foi de 178,14, com número médio de ovos de 178,14 85,61 variando de 51 ovos (CEC = 3,21 mm) a 325 ovos (CEC = 6,77 mm). Existe uma correlação positiva entre o tamanho do escudo cefalotorácico e do volume interno da concha com o número de ovos, sendo que a primeira é a que mais explica a variação na quantidade de ovos.Ao analisar as medidas do comprimento da abertura, largura da abertura e volume interno das conchas elas mostraram uma correlação positiva com o tamanho dos caranguejos-eremitas / 2017-03-23

En Nouvelle-Calédonie il y a une forte volonté politique pour diversifier l'aquaculture qui repose encore aujourd'hui sur la crevetticulture. Dans ce contexte le crabe de palétuvier est considéré comme une espèce à fort potentiel. Un des principaux verrous au développement de la carcinoculture en Nouvelle-Calédonie est la disponibilité d'un aliment granulé commercial. Ainsi le principal objectif de cette thèse est d'améliorer notre connaissance des besoins nutritionnels du crabe de palétuvier afin d'être en mesure de formuler un aliment équilibré pour son élevage. Cependant avant d'aborder les études nutritionnelles nous avons vérifié le nombre d'espèces de crabes de palétuvier présentes en Nouvelle-Calédonie.Nos résultats d'études morphologiques et génétiques de 63 individus provenant de 9 sites des côtes Ouest et Nord-Est de la Nouvelle-Calédonie ont confirmé l'existence d'une unique espèce commercialisée: Scylla serrata. C'est donc sur cette espèce que nous avons travaillé en nutrition avec deux séries expérimentales ayant pour objectifs: i) d'évaluer le concentré protéique de soja (CPS) en comparaison avec la farine de poisson comme principale source en protéines et ii) de déterminer le taux optimum d'incorporation du CPS pour la mue et la croissance tissulaire des animaux. Nous avons ainsi observé deux phases de croissance tissulaire au cours d'un cycle de mue (CM): une phase rapide (CTR) qui démarre après la mue et dure jusqu'au début de l'intermue (elle représente 30% du CM) suivi d'une phase de croissance lente (CTL) sur toute la durée de l'intermue et jusqu'à la mue suivante (elle représente 70% du CM). L'accumulation des protéines et des lipides au cours du CM a suivi le même profil de croissance tissulaire contrairement aux cendres qui ont augmenté de façon rapide durant 5 jours suivant l'ecdysis pour atteindre un plateau jusqu'à la prochaine mue. Les deux phases de croissance étaient corrélées avec une prise de l'aliment par les animaux maximale pendant les deux premières semaines suivant la mue. Elle a diminué de moitié sur les 5 semaines suivantes et s'est maintenue ensuite à un niveau de base jusqu'à la prochaine mue. L'énergie ingérée était allouée principalement à la croissance et à l'entretient respectivement durant les périodes CTR et CTL. Durant la phase de croissance lente, 28% de l'énergie ingérée étaient mise en réserve en prévision de la prochaine mue. Le remplacement de la farine de poisson par la CPS n'a pas modifié la croissance tissulaire,l'efficience de l'aliment et le bilan énergétique des animaux quelque soit la phase de croissance considérée. Le taux d'incorporation dans l'aliment de 42% de CPS a permis la meilleure croissance (fréquence de mue et croissance tissulaire, efficience de l'aliment et la rétention de l'énergie des protéines et des lipides. L'hypothèse d'une toxicité de l'ammonium issu de la dégradation des protéines en excès ou des facteurs antinutritionnels du soja est avancée pour expliquer les effets négatifs observés avec les aliments renfermant des taux d'incorporation élevés en CPS. En conclusion, nos travaux apportent des informations originales sur la croissance tissulaire et les dépenses énergétiques durant un cycle de mue et la capacité du crabe juvénile d'utiliser le CPS comme principale source de protéines. Sur ces bases nous somme en mesure de préconiser des contraintes nutritionnelles permettant de formuler un aliment équilibré sans farine de poissons pour l'élevage du crabe de palétuvier S.serrata. / In New Caledonia, there is the strong political will to diversify aquaculture which is mainly based on shrimp farming. In this context, mud crabs have been considered as a potential species for aquaculture development. One of the main constraints to develop crab farming is the availability of formulated feed. Thus, the main purpose of this thesis is to get information on the crab nutritional requirements in order to formulate a balanced diet. However, we had to clarify first how many species of mud crab were present in New-Caledonia. The result of our morphological and genetic investigations carried out on 63 specimens from 9 areas of the west and northeast coast of New-Caledonia confirmed that only one species, Scylla serrata, is commercialized in this country. Consequently, S. serrata was used in our nutritional study based on two experiments to: i) evaluate the soy protein concentrate (SPC) compared with the fishmeal as the main protein source and ii) determine the optimum level of SPC in the diet for molting and tissue growth. We observed two tissue growth phases within one molt cycle (MC): a fast tissue growth (FTG) occurred after ecdysis until early intermolt stage (30% of MC) which is followed by a slow tissue growth (STG) period from intermolt to ecdysis (70% of MC). Protein and lipid deposition followed the same trend than tissue growth while ash level increased quickly during five days after molt and then remained stable until the next molt. The two growth phases were correlated with the voluntary feed intakes (VFI) which was maximum during 2 weeks after ecdysis and then decreased by 50% over the five following weeks to reach a baseline until the next molt. Intake energy was allocated mainly for growth during FTG period and for maintenance during STG period. During STG, 28% of the ingested energy was accumulated for the next ecdysis. Replacement of fishmeal by SPC as main protein source did not affect tissue growth, efficiency of feed utilization and energy budget of crabs whatever the tissue growth period considered. The dietary SPC inclusion of 42% in the diet promoted growth (molt frequency and tissue growth), feed efficiency and retention of energy, protein and lipid. Hypothesis related to ammonia toxicity from catabolism of proteins in excess or anti-nutritional factors from soybean could explain the negative effects of higher inclusion of SPC in the diet for juvenile crabs. In conclusion, our work brings novel information on tissue growth, energy budget during a molt cycle and the ability of juvenile crab to use SPC as a main source of protein. On this basis we suggest to formulate nutritionally balanced diet without fishmeal to farm juvenile mud crabs S. serrata.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present study investigated the effect of different strata of tide on the abundance, size, sex ratio, population structure, relative growth, morphological sexual maturity, amount of ovigerous females and reproductive burrows in U. leptodactylus. To this end, monthly collections were made from January to December 2013 in two strata of the intertidal, estuaries of Sergipe river and Vaza-barris river, using a square with internal area of 90cm², launched ten times randomly within each strata. For each stratum monthly measures air temperature, substrate temperature, water temperature, salinity and samples episubstrate for the determination of particle size and composition of organic matter were taken. In the laboratory, crabs were sexed, measured and preserved in 70% alcohol. The monthly results were statistically compared between strata and estuaries, there are similarities in environmental factors analyzed between strata, with an analysis of the abundance, size, relative growth and sexual maturity divergent between the same strata.The abundance and size of crabs were higher in the open strata of both estuaries, with the estuary of Vaza-barris river more abundant than estuary of Sergipe river, which in turn showed higher crabs. The sex ratio was not significantly different between the strata of the estuary of Vaza-barris river, but presented to the estuary of Sergipe river, where in the open strata occurred more males and more females in the vegetated strata. Population structure showed 19 classes of size 0.5 mm with modal distribution of recent juveniles for vegetated strata and adults to open strata. Juvenile and adult crabs showed positive allometric growth between carapace width and length of the propodus and width of the abdomen, separately for each sex. The fiddler crabs vegetated strata matured in smaller sizes than that observed for the open strata in both estuaries, in the estuary of Vaza-barris river males and females matured with 6.18 and 5.26 mm and 4.94 and 4.91 mm carapace width in open and vegetated strata, respectively. In the estuary of Sergipe river males and females matured with 5.61 and 5.36 and 5.24 mm and 4.39 mm carapace width in open and vegetated strata respectively. The similarity in abiotic factors between open and vegetated strata, and differences in the abundance, population structure and reproductive biology have led to the consideration of the reproductive behavior of lekking for U. leptodactylus. Ovigerous females and reproductive burrows occurred primarily in the open strata, so these areas were considered reproductive arenas, while vegetated strata were considered priority areas in recruitment. / O presente trabalho investigou o efeito de diferentes estratos de maré sobre a abundância, tamanho, razão sexual, estrutura populacional, crescimento relativo, maturidade sexual morfológica, quantidade de fêmeas ovígeras e tocas reprodutivas em U. leptodactylus. Para tal, foram realizadas coletas mensais no período de Janeiro à Dezembro de 2013 em dois estratos do entremarés, nos estuários do rio Sergipe e rio Vaza-barris, utilizando-se um quadrado com área interna de 90cm², lançado dez vezes aleatoriamente em cada estrato. Para cada estrato mensalmente foram tomadas as medidas de temperatura do ar, temperatura do substrato, temperatura da água, salinidade e amostras do episubstrato, para a determinação do teor de matéria orgânica e composição granulometria. Em laboratório, os caranguejos foram sexados, medidos e conservados em álcool 70%. Os resultados obtidos mensalmente foram comparados estatisticamente entre estratos e estuários, observou-se semelhança nos fatores ambientais analisado entre os estratos, sendo a análise da abundância, tamanho, crescimento relativo e maturidade sexual divergente entre os mesmos estratos. A abundância e o tamanho dos caranguejos foram maiores nos estratos abertos de ambos os estuários, sendo o estuário do rio Vaza-barris mais abundante do que o estuário do rio Sergipe, que por sua vez apresentou caranguejos maiores. A razão sexual não apresentou diferença significativa entre os estratos para o estuário do rio Vaza-barris, porém apresentou para o estuário do rio Sergipe, onde no estrato aberto ocorreram mais machos e nos estratos vegetados mais fêmeas. A estrutura populacional apresentou 19 classes de tamanho de 0,5 mm, com distribuição modal de juvenis recentes para os estratos vegetados e de adultos para os estratos abertos. Os caranguejos juvenis e adultos apresentaram crescimento alométrico positivo entre a largura da carapaça e comprimento do própodo e largura do abdômen, separadamente para cada sexo. Os chama-marés dos estratos vegetados maturaram em tamanhos menores do que o observado para os estratos abertos de ambos os estuários, no estuários do rio Vaza-barris os machos e fêmeas maturaram com 6,18 e 5,26 mm e 4,94 e 4,91 mm de largura da carapaça nos estratos aberto e vegetado, respectivamente. No estuário do rio Sergipe os machos e fêmeas maturaram com 5,61 e 5,36 mm e 5,24 e 4,39 mm de largura da carapaça nos estratos aberto e vegetado, respectivamente. A semelhança nos fatores abióticos entre os estratos abertos e vegetados, e as divergências na abundância, estrutura populacional e biologia reprodutiva, levaram à consideração do comportamento reprodutivo de lekking para U. leptodactylus. As fêmeas ovígeras e tocas reprodutivas ocorreram prioritariamente nos estratos abertos, portanto essas áreas foram consideradas arenas reprodutivas, enquanto os estratos vegetados foram considerados áreas prioritárias no recrutamento.