The effect of sesarma boulengeri(calman)‎ crab burrows on Surrounding pore water chemistry in the shatt al-arab NW Arabian gulf

Abstract EN

The result of the present study has shown that presence of chemical elements concentration in the pore water surrounding the crab burrow depends on the distance from or depth of the burrow.

After analyzing the samples in the laboratory, the results have demonstrated that the concentration of ammonium and phosphate decreases as we move away from the burrows edge, and there is also a significant difference with regard to the ammonium and phosphate concentrations.

With respect to phosphate, there is no important significant difference, but the concentration of sulfide has increased with the distance from the burrow edge.

Its highest concentration is at a distance of 12cm, such that there is a noticeable difference between the various samples.

But there no change in the proportion of salinity and redox with the distance or depth from the burrow edge.

The results have, also, that the crab burrows affect the pore water present in the sediments surrounding the burrows, to a distance that approaches 12 cm from the burrows opening.

There, the activity of the crab burrows has increased the heterogeneity of the sediments in the area of study