Certain species of introduced crabs have been destroying eelgrass habitats and preying on soft shell clams and other small shellfish. Over the last three decades, some coastal communities have seen explosions of European green and Asian shore crabs. Are rising temperatures in the Gulf of Maine causing the changes to intertidal crab populations? What will happen to intertidal ecosystems as the temperatures continue to rise? To understand these changes and what we can adapt to them, we need your help. Join our project by contributing data from an intertidal zone near you.
Contribute to this project any time of year. Data must be collected within one hour of low tide and within a meter of the water line.
Learn More
- Explore the project data and spot emerging trends or patterns on your own! Email Abigail at along@gmri.org if you would like an export of the data.
- Read published student research articles about intertidal crabs from the middle school journal, Findings From the Field.
- Find curriculum to support student learning through participation in this project on the Gulf of Maine Research Institute's Learning Resource Hub.
