Abstract
There are few studies that dealt with species preference in seedling predation by sesarmid crabs in mangrove forests. We investigated predation preference of the sesarmid crab Neosarmatium malabaricum to the seedlings of Aegiceras corniculatum, Avicennia officinalis, Excoecaria agallocha and Rhizophora mucronata in Kunhimangalam mangrove forest in Kerala. Enclosure-exclosure experiments showed that the crab preferred seedlings of E. agallocha the most and that of R. mucronata the least. Reason for this preference was the cumulative effect of morphological and chemical factors of these seedlings. Morphological factors negatively and chemical factors positively influenced the predation preference. Species preference in seedling predation could be inversely proportional to relative abundance and density of saplings. Saplings of the most preferred A. corniculatum and E. agallocha registered low density, and the least preferred R. mucronata and A. officinalis recorded high density in Kunhimangalam mangrove forest. Species preference exhibited by N. malabaricum in seedling predation has been reflected in sapling density and composition. So, this preference can possibly influence the future forest composition.
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