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สุ่มตัวอย่างของเขตข้อมูลIn our sampling areas, mean burrow densities in Phragmites marsh, Spartina marsh, and mudflats were estimated to be 48.00 ± 3.75 (SE), 42.56 ±3.70, and 45.22 ± 2.21 burrows m-2, respectively (Wang 2008). For ease of description, we here defined three size classes of burrow opening diameters, that is, small (0–15 mm), medium (15–30 mm), and large (>30 mm). See Figure A2 Supplemental Material for burrow size frequency distributions at the study site.To estimate the amount of soil excavated by crabs,six randomly selected burrows for each class of opening diameter were labeled in Phragmites marsh,Spartina marsh, and mudflat habitats, for a total of 54 burrows. Their opening diameters were measured.All the pre-existing superficial soils around these burrow openings were removed before sampling.Excavated soil was collected daily over a 5-d spring-tide period (July 30–August 3, 2007). A total of 270 soil samples (3 sizes 9 3 habitats 9 5 d 9 6 replicates) were taken, oven dried at 60C to constant weight, and then weighed.The physical and chemical properties of soil excavated by crabs were quantified. Six groups of burrows were selected in each of the three habitats,each of which consisted of three sizes of burrows.Newly -excavated soil was easily identified by its color (grayish fresh excavation vs. brownish old excavation) and texture (Botto and Iribarne 2000).On August 2, 2007, freshly excavated soil was sampled. A subsample of approximately 50 g from each sample was used to determine soil water content by oven-drying, and 10–20 g was frozen at -10C for soil NO3-N and NH4-N concentrations.Directly sampling the soil deposited into burrows was impossible because it was impractical to separate soil deposited into burrows from the pre-existing soil in the burrows. Most crab burrows had vertically tubular structures with an opening diameter of up to 50 mmand depth of 10–50 cm(Wang 2008; also see Table A1 Supplemental Material for mean depth data). PVC pipes were used as burrow mimics, as suggested by Gutierrez and others (2006). PVC pipes were inserted into the soil with their upper openings flush with the ground surface. These pipes were 30 cm long and capped at the bottom.PVC pipes of three sizes (10, 25, 40 mm in diameter) corresponding to the three burrow size classes were used (n = 6/size class). Soil deposited into burrow mimics was also collected daily (two tidal cycles) during a 5-d spring-tide period (July30–August 3, 2007). Again, a total of 270 samples were taken (3 sizes 9 3 habitats 9 5 d 9 6 replicates).We filled PVC pipes with estuarine filtered water to avoid overestimating sediment deposition due to the incoming water. All water and soil in burrow mimics were collected daily in plastic bottles,and stored for 24 h. All supernatants were drawn out, and remaining deposits were oven dried at 60C to constant weight and weighed.We combined the samples collected from each burrow or burrow mimic over 5 days for analysis. A total of 54 samples were taken for both excavation and deposition (3 sizes 9 3 habitats 9 6 burrows or burrow mimics). Total soil N (TN), total soil C (TC)and total organic C (TOC) concentrations, salinity and grain size were measured in the laboratory.To examine background soil properties, six control samples were taken from the top 5-cm soil (background surface soil) and at a depth of 30 cm (background subsurface soil) in small unburrowed areas in Spartina and Phragmites marshes and mudflat habitats with a 2-cm-diameter soil corer. The use of the small unburrowed areas for sampling background soil was to avoid sampling errors that might be caused by the differences in other conditions rather than crab burrowing. Thirty-six samples of background soil (6 soil cores 9 2 depth 9 3 habitats)were taken and used to compare with those of the excavated and deposited soils.To determine NO3-N and NH4-N concentrations,10–50 g from each of 36 samples were frozen at -10C until samples were analyzed. The soil for determining inorganic N concentrations was also used to calculate soil water content. Subsamples of approximately 300 mg were used to determine TC,TN and TOC concentrations. The remaining samples were oven dried and used to measure soil salinity and grain size. The total inorganic N (TIN) concentration of the deposited soil was not measured.Consequently, soil TIN, bulk density, and water content were measured only in background and excavated soils.
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