Assessing Sandy Beach Health Throughout the South Atlantic Bight with Ghost Crabs

Authors

Raquel Wilson, Brigham Young UniversityFollow
Blaine D. Griffen, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow

Files

Keywords

Atlantic ghost crab, human impact, sandy beaches, bioindicator

Abstract

To better inform the management and protection of marine ecosystems, we examined human impacts on sandy beach health across the South Atlantic Bight by assessing the abundance and size of ghost crab burrows, and habitat quality. We used an urbanization index to measure the level of human impact. Sandy beach ecosystems are ecologically and economically important, yet they face immense pressure from increasing human activity^1,2. Protecting these ecosystems is critical yet challenging due to their large size, but we can evaluate their health and the extent of human impact using a bioindicator species. We used the Atlantic ghost crab because they are an established bioindicator species—an organism that helps measure the health of an ecosystem³. We hypothesized that human impacts would be strongest in highly urbanized cities and in Florida.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Wilson, Raquel and Griffen, Blaine D., "Assessing Sandy Beach Health Throughout the South Atlantic Bight with Ghost Crabs" (2025). Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025. 71.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/library_studentposters_2025/71

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Senior

Copyright Use Information

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/