THE USE OF OPEN BURROWS TO ESTIMATE ABUNDANCES OF INTERTIDAL ESTUARINE CRABS

Estimation of absolute (or true) abundances of intertidal burrowing crabs is a difficult problem in some estuarine habitats because the nature of the substratum and behaviour of crabs can restrict researchers to the use of sampling methods which at best estimate only apparent, or relative, abundances. One method that has been used is to count open burrows to estimate population densities. This paper discusses the results of a test examining the validity of using burrows to estimate apparent abundances of a temperate ocypodid crab, Heloecius cordiformis. inhabiting mangrove forests of south‐eastern Australia. Under appropriate circumstances, this method may provide a quick and reliable estimate of abundance of crabs. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved