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035 a| (OCoLC)1570278148;

049 a| EREE;

100 1 a| Whitt, Dylan Kennedye| author?| UNAUTHORIZED;

245 10 a| Building complexity: Evaluating stone crab recruitment to novel engineered habitats in coastal North Carolina;

264 1 a| [Greenville, N.C.] :b| [East Carolina Universityc| 2025.];

300 a| 65 pages;

336 a| textb| txt2| rdacontent;

337 a| computerb| c2| rdamedia;

338 a| online resourceb| cr2| rdacarrier;

347 a| text fileb| application/pdfc| 1.5 MB2| rda;

538 a| System requirements: Adobe Reader.;

538 a| Mode of access: World Wide Web.;

502 c| East Carolina Universityd| 2025.;

504 a| Includes bibliographical references.;

520 3 a| Living shorelines, which often include breakwaters constructed from novel engineered substrates, can provide structural complexity that may enhance habitat for fauna, yet relationships between specific design features and faunal recruitment remain poorly understood. This study evaluated how three proprietary breakwater substrates (Natrx Exoforms[trademark], Oyster Catcher[trademark], and QuickReef[registered]) influenced stone crab (Menippe mercenaria) recruitment at newly installed living shorelines in coastal North Carolina. We evaluated habitat complexity via measurements of rugosity and interstitial space on each structure type and quantified stone crab abundances by deploying passive samplers adjacent to replicate breakwaters of each substrate type from April through September 2025. Although these substrates differed significantly in their complexity metrics, stone crab abundance and size were similar across Natrx Exoforms[trademark] (N= 4.33 +/- 2.52 crabs, 67.99 +/- 33.54 mm carapace width), Oyster Catcher[trademark], (N= 3 +/- 1 crabs, 89.42 +/- 16.42 mm carapace width and QuickReef[registered]( N= 3 +/- 2 crabs, 75.29 +/- 26.88 mm carapace width). Previous studies have demonstrated that stone crabs experience size-specific habitat limitation and thus will recruit to habitats based on the size of the available refuge relative to carapace width. Our results suggest that the measured differences in habitat complexity across the breakwaters may not represent differences in the availability of size-appropriate refuges (i.e., burrows) for recruiting stone crabs. Future studies should evaluate stone crab recruitment over multiple years post-construction of novel substrates to assess whether colonization by other fauna (e.g., oysters) influences habitat selection by stone crabs.;

653 a| living shorelines;

653 a| oyster reef restoration;

653 a| stone crab;

653 a| habitat complexity;

653 a| substrate design;

653 a| shoreline stabilization;

700 1 a| Gittman, Rachel K.e| degree supervisor.?| UNAUTHORIZED;

710 2 a| East Carolina University=| ^A637090;

856 40 z| Access via ScholarShipu| http://hdl.handle.net/10342/14428;

949 a| Click on web addressw| ASISh| JOYNER101;

949 a| Click on web addressw| ASISh| HSL111;

994 a| C0b| ERE;

596 a| 1 4;

998 a| 6699093;

999 a| CLICK ON WEB ADDRESSw| ASISc| 1i| 6699093-1001l| JNETm| JOYNERr| Ys| Yt| JNE3ETDu| 1/27/2026x| ETDz| JERESOURCE;

999 a| CLICK ON WEB ADDRESSw| ASISc| 1i| 6699093-2001l| HSLELECm| HSLr| Ys| Yt| HEETDu| 1/27/2026x| ETDz| HERESOURCE;

Building complexity: Evaluating stone crab recruitment to novel engineered habitats in coastal North Carolina

Author/creator	Whitt, Dylan Kennedy author
Other author	Gittman, Rachel K. degree supervisor.
Other author	East Carolina University
Format	Theses and dissertations
Publication	[Greenville, N.C.] : [East Carolina University 2025.]
Description	65 pages
Supplemental Content	Access via ScholarShip

Summary	Living shorelines, which often include breakwaters constructed from novel engineered substrates, can provide structural complexity that may enhance habitat for fauna, yet relationships between specific design features and faunal recruitment remain poorly understood. This study evaluated how three proprietary breakwater substrates (Natrx Exoforms[trademark], Oyster Catcher[trademark], and QuickReef[registered]) influenced stone crab (Menippe mercenaria) recruitment at newly installed living shorelines in coastal North Carolina. We evaluated habitat complexity via measurements of rugosity and interstitial space on each structure type and quantified stone crab abundances by deploying passive samplers adjacent to replicate breakwaters of each substrate type from April through September 2025. Although these substrates differed significantly in their complexity metrics, stone crab abundance and size were similar across Natrx Exoforms[trademark] (N= 4.33 +/- 2.52 crabs, 67.99 +/- 33.54 mm carapace width), Oyster Catcher[trademark], (N= 3 +/- 1 crabs, 89.42 +/- 16.42 mm carapace width and QuickReef[registered]( N= 3 +/- 2 crabs, 75.29 +/- 26.88 mm carapace width). Previous studies have demonstrated that stone crabs experience size-specific habitat limitation and thus will recruit to habitats based on the size of the available refuge relative to carapace width. Our results suggest that the measured differences in habitat complexity across the breakwaters may not represent differences in the availability of size-appropriate refuges (i.e., burrows) for recruiting stone crabs. Future studies should evaluate stone crab recruitment over multiple years post-construction of novel substrates to assess whether colonization by other fauna (e.g., oysters) influences habitat selection by stone crabs.
Dissertation note	East Carolina University 2025.
Bibliography note	Includes bibliographical references.
Technical details	System requirements: Adobe Reader.
Technical details	Mode of access: World Wide Web.

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Building complexity: Evaluating stone crab recruitment to novel engineered habitats in coastal North Carolina

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