Ecological Importance

The mixing of sediments through feeding and burrowing solider crab behaviour has been found to affect the geochemistry and ecology of its environment, this is called bioturbation. They are highly important ecologically for maintaining a fully functioning mud flat environment as they play an important role in the food web of intertidal system. In eastern Australia they are an important source of food for internationally protected migratory shore birds (Zharikov & Skilleter, 2004). Experimental removal of M. longicarpus from environments resulted in an increase of small burrowing polychaetes and  areas of sediment becoming over grown with dense microbial mats (Webb & Eyre, 2004). Removal also found an overall decrease in the uptake of carbon and nitrogen into the system (Webb & Eyre, 2004).

  Above is a highly simplified food web, highlighting the ecological importance of M. longicarpus. Original diagram by Kate Buchanan (2014). Information sourced from Cameron (1966) and Zharikov & Skilleter (2004).