Ghost crab burrow density at Watamu Marine National Park: an indicator of the impact of urbanisation and associated disturbance?

Hereward, HFR, Gentle, LK ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4864-5775, Ray, ND ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5188-4331 and Sluka, RD, 2017. Ghost crab burrow density at Watamu Marine National Park: an indicator of the impact of urbanisation and associated disturbance? African Journal of Marine Science, 39 (1), pp. 129-133. ISSN 1814-232X

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Abstract

Ghost crab (Ocypode species) burrow densities have previously been used as an indicator of anthropogenic impact. This study aimed to assess the burrow density of Ocypode species (O. ryderi and O. cordimanus) at four sites across Watamu Marine National Park, Kenya. Two sites were in front of hotel complexes (denoting a high degree of urbanisation), and two were in front of residential housing among coastal scrub (denoting a low degree of urbanisation). The findings reveal significantly higher burrow densities at sites in front of residential housing, which was the less developed area. This provides further evidence that Ocypode burrow densities can be used, where other methods would be impractical, to estimate the impact of some human activities along beach fronts, such as at Watamu Marine National Park.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	African Journal of Marine Science
Creators:	Hereward, H.F.R., Gentle, L.K., Ray, N.D. and Sluka, R.D.
Publisher:	National Inquiry Services Centre
Date:	July 2017
Volume:	39
Number:	1
ISSN:	1814-232X
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.2989/1814232X.2017.1305990 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	12 Jul 2017 07:53
Last Modified:	11 Jul 2018 03:00
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31222

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