Terrestrial Hermit Crab Populations in the Maldives: Ecology, Distribution and Anthropogenic Impact

Terrestrial hermit crabs are among the most widespread beach-dwelling organisms with key ecological functions but receive only very limited research attention. Sebastian Steibl demonstrates how physical parameters shape their overall distribution, presents a possible mechanism for their speciation and coexistence and shows for the first time how different human activities can have a major impact on their populations. The author points out that terrestrial hermit crabs, due to their conspicu...