A large population of king crabs in Palmer Deep on the west Antarctic Peninsula shelf and potential invasive impacts
A large population of king crabs in Palmer Deep on the west Antarctic Peninsula shelf and potential invasive impacts
Lithodid crabs (and other skeleton-crushing predators) may have been excluded from cold Antarctic continental shelf waters for more than 14 Myr. The west Antarctic Peninsula shelf is warming rapidly and has been hypothesized to be soon invaded by lithodids. A remotely operated vehicle survey in Palmer Deep, a basin 120 km onto the Antarctic shelf, revealed a large, reproductive population of lithodids, providing the first evidence that king crabs have crossed the Antarctic shelf. DNA sequencing and morphology indicate the lithodid is Neolithodes yaldwyni Ahyong & Dawson, previously reported only from Ross Sea waters. We estimate a N. yaldwyni population density of 10 600 km?2 and a population size of 1.55 × 106 in Palmer Deep, a density similar to lithodid populations of commercial interest around Alaska and South Georgia. The lithodid occurred at depths of more than 850 m and temperatures of more than 1.4°C in Palmer Deep, and was not found in extensive surveys of the colder shelf at depths of 430–725 m. Where N. yaldwyni occurred, crab traces were abundant, megafaunal diversity reduced and echinoderms absent, suggesting that the crabs have major ecological impacts. Antarctic Peninsula shelf waters are warming at approximately 0.01°C yr?1; if N. yaldwyni is currently limited by cold temperatures, it could spread up onto the shelf (400–600 m depths) within 1–2 decades. The Palmer Deep N. yaldwyni population provides an important model for the potential invasive impacts of crushing predators on vulnerable Antarctic shelf ecosystems.
1017-1026
Smith, C.R.
4438caca-acef-42d2-a57b-1a1b3c1f8f27
Grange, L.J.
8de65684-8e14-4cc2-89d1-ca20322714e4
Honig, D.L.
25eeea08-1455-45aa-9c7a-0a9babda9b63
Naudts, L.
7b6b40d3-5b6f-4819-bd6c-ad06620c8d97
Huber, B.
24517d8d-12a4-4596-86d8-586477ca9f1c
Guidi, L.
a07287b1-dd41-4833-8c92-76caac5d70cf
Domack, E.
5d7e9fd0-3ddf-4109-adc2-2067edad6573
March 2012
Smith, C.R.
4438caca-acef-42d2-a57b-1a1b3c1f8f27
Grange, L.J.
8de65684-8e14-4cc2-89d1-ca20322714e4
Honig, D.L.
25eeea08-1455-45aa-9c7a-0a9babda9b63
Naudts, L.
7b6b40d3-5b6f-4819-bd6c-ad06620c8d97
Huber, B.
24517d8d-12a4-4596-86d8-586477ca9f1c
Guidi, L.
a07287b1-dd41-4833-8c92-76caac5d70cf
Domack, E.
5d7e9fd0-3ddf-4109-adc2-2067edad6573
Smith, C.R., Grange, L.J., Honig, D.L., Naudts, L., Huber, B., Guidi, L. and Domack, E.
(2012)
A large population of king crabs in Palmer Deep on the west Antarctic Peninsula shelf and potential invasive impacts.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 279 (1730), .
(doi:10.1098/rspb.2011.1496).
Abstract
Lithodid crabs (and other skeleton-crushing predators) may have been excluded from cold Antarctic continental shelf waters for more than 14 Myr. The west Antarctic Peninsula shelf is warming rapidly and has been hypothesized to be soon invaded by lithodids. A remotely operated vehicle survey in Palmer Deep, a basin 120 km onto the Antarctic shelf, revealed a large, reproductive population of lithodids, providing the first evidence that king crabs have crossed the Antarctic shelf. DNA sequencing and morphology indicate the lithodid is Neolithodes yaldwyni Ahyong & Dawson, previously reported only from Ross Sea waters. We estimate a N. yaldwyni population density of 10 600 km?2 and a population size of 1.55 × 106 in Palmer Deep, a density similar to lithodid populations of commercial interest around Alaska and South Georgia. The lithodid occurred at depths of more than 850 m and temperatures of more than 1.4°C in Palmer Deep, and was not found in extensive surveys of the colder shelf at depths of 430–725 m. Where N. yaldwyni occurred, crab traces were abundant, megafaunal diversity reduced and echinoderms absent, suggesting that the crabs have major ecological impacts. Antarctic Peninsula shelf waters are warming at approximately 0.01°C yr?1; if N. yaldwyni is currently limited by cold temperatures, it could spread up onto the shelf (400–600 m depths) within 1–2 decades. The Palmer Deep N. yaldwyni population provides an important model for the potential invasive impacts of crushing predators on vulnerable Antarctic shelf ecosystems.
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Published date: March 2012
Organisations:
Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems
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Local EPrints ID: 354698
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/354698
ISSN: 0962-8452
PURE UUID: ad74e307-c289-43d3-b369-2f7ae76eaa3d
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Date deposited: 17 Jul 2013 13:52
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 14:23
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Author:
C.R. Smith
Author:
D.L. Honig
Author:
L. Naudts
Author:
B. Huber
Author:
L. Guidi
Author:
E. Domack
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