Ecology
Their overpopulation, caused by over-harvesting by recreational fishermen of its natural predators such as blue crabs, striped bass, smooth dogfish and cod, has been blamed for the decline in cordgrass found in the salt marshes of Cape Cod and the decrease in the extent of salt marshes on the Atlantic coast of North America due to increased erosion. The explosion in the population of sesarma crabs has provided additional food to night herons. The crabs eat marsh grass not only from above but underground in tunnels they construct. The research demonstrates the possible cumulative ecological impact of popular human activities such as recreational fishing.
Read more about this topic: Sesarma Reticulatum
Famous quotes containing the word ecology:
“... the fundamental principles of ecology govern our lives wherever we live, and ... we must wake up to this fact or be lost.”
—Karin Sheldon (b. c. 1945)