Mangroves are dynamic ecosystems due to influence of abiotic and biotic factors, but the latter are far less studied. Interactions between key invertebrate groups, trees, and soil properties, among others, determine the community structure throughout mangrove stand developing. Covariation among these factors, however, obscures their mutual relationships in shaping mangrove community assemblage patterns. In the estuary of Pacoti River (Ceará State, northeast Brazil), we compared the diversity and distribution of brachyurans and trees among several mid-littoral areas, and their relation with sediment features, to understand their relationships in community assemblage of new mangrove stands in developing. To discriminate the relation among these variables, ordination of data (PCA) and multivariate multiple correlation (PLS) were used. Data show that intertidal establishment of Brachyura was determined primarily by sediment properties, but further spatial distribution and diversity of this key faunal group, and the tree species that establishes, can influence each other. The prop roots habitat of Rhizophora mangle supports a higher brachyuran richness, since it allows the existence of multispecific crab burrow systems underground. Our results show that Rhizophora and brachyurans are key engineer organisms involved in shaping the physical and, hence, the ecological structure of newly established mangrove stands at Neotropics.

中文翻译：

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巴西东北部红树林群落集合中短臂蟹，树木和土壤生态因子之间的相互关系

由于非生物和生物因素的影响，红树林是动态的生态系统，但对后者的研究却很少。主要无脊椎动物群体，树木和土壤特性之间的相互作用决定了整个红树林林分发育过程中的群落结构。然而，这些因素之间的协变掩盖了它们在塑造红树林群落模式时的相互关系。在帕科提河（巴西东北部塞阿拉州）的河口，我们比较了沿海中部几个地区的腕蛙和树木的多样性和分布及其与沉积物特征的关系，以了解它们在新红树林林分群落组成中的关系。发展。为了区分这些变量之间的关系，使用了数据排序（PCA）和多元多重相关（PLS）。数据显示，Brachyura的潮间带建立主要由沉积物特性决定，但是这个关键动物群以及建立的树种的进一步空间分布和多样性会相互影响。道具根生境Rhizophora mangle支持较高的brachyuran丰富度，因为它允许在地下存在多特异性蟹洞系统。我们的研究结果表明，根瘤菌和腕毛虫是影响新热带地区新建立的红树林林地物理形态和生态结构的关键工程生物。