Impacts of urbanization on mangrove forests and brachyuran crabs in Penang, Malaysia

Abstract Urban development is driving the loss and subsequent fragmentation of mangrove forests in Penang, Malaysia. However, little research has focused on implications urbanization onto biodiversity within forests. This study investigates compares both vegetation crab assemblages between urban rural Collectively, 5853 trees were recorded including 15 species from six families: Acanthaceae, Arecaceae, Lythraceae, Malvaceae, Meliaceae, Rhizophoraceae. Avicennia marina accounted for 88.6% all held highest importance (IV). Although total number tree varied significantly (14) (7) forests, forest structure based IV did not vary significantly. In total, 633 crabs comprising 13 different three superfamilies: Grapsoidea, Ocypodoidea, Paguroidea. Crab richness sites, but biomasses five densities four Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that land use, salinity, abundance officinalis can best describe distribution (r 2 =32.7). indicates smaller fragmented mangroves at east coast Penang have a relatively high diversity are worth protecting, addition to larger west coast. The preservation small yet interconnected sites could be critical recruitment their flora fauna should considered decision-making processes.