The annual migration of Christmas Island’s red crabs – where millions of creatures cover its beaches as they make their way from land to sea – is a true natural spectacle.
The annual migration of Christmas Island’s red crabs – where millions of creatures cover its beaches as they make their way from land to sea – is a true natural spectacle.
However, little is known about whether and how the species might be impacted under the future environmental conditions created by the changing global climate.
A new study by scientists and graduates at the University of Plymouth has investigated one aspect of how such shifts might affect its earliest development.
Specifically, the research focused on whether lower salinity – caused by future increased rainfall during the tropics’ monsoon season, which would in turn dilute coastal waters – might delay the development of crab embryos.
Read more at University of Plymouth
Image: Little is currently known about whether and how Christmas Island’s red crabs might be impacted under the future environmental conditions created by the changing global climate. (Credit: University of Plymouth)
