Ricerc@Sapienza

Knowledge of the trophic ecology of predators is key to understanding how they affect food web structure and ecosystem functioning. The harbour crab Liocarcinus depurator (L.) (Brachyura: Portunidae)
is one of the most abundant decapod species in soft-bottom areas of the Mediterranean Sea and northeast Atlantic Ocean. It is both a common prey and predator of commercial and non-commercial

Transitional waters are highly productive ecosystems, providing essential goods and services to the biosphere and human population. Human influence in coastal areas exposes these ecosystems to continuous internal and external disturbance. Nitrogen-loads can affect the composition of the resident community and the trophic relationships between and within species, including fish.