Metabolic rates of the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus in air as a function of body size, location, and injury.

Abstract

Rapid warming in the Gulf of Maine may influence the success or invasiveness of the Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus. To better predict the effects of climate change on this invasive species, it is necessary to measure its energy dynamics under a range of conditions. However, previous research has only focused on the metabolism of this intertidal species in water. We sampled adult crabs from three different sites and measured their metabolic rates in the air. We show that metabolic rate increases with body mass and the number of missing limbs, but decreases with the number of regenerating limbs, possibly reflecting the timing of energy allocation to limb regeneration. Importantly, metabolic rates measured here in the air are ~4× higher than metabolic rates previously measured for this species in water. Our results provide baseline measurements of aerial metabolic rates across body sizes, which may be affected by climate change. With a better understanding of respiration in H. sanguineus, we can make more informed predictions about the combined effects of climate change and invasive species on the northeast coasts of North America.