Abstract (from Springer): Nursery habitats promote the survival of juveniles to the adult population and are often targeted by conservation policies and restoration practices. Managers must choose where to focus limited resources, which is complicated when juveniles utilize multiple habitats. This is particularly applicable to the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) population in North Carolina, USA, which uses three main habitats, low salinity ephemeral Ruppia maritima seagrass beds, high salinity mixed-species seagrass beds, and shallow marsh detrital habitat (SDH). Spatial variation in early juvenile blue crab density and size-class of blue crab instars (2.2–20 mm) was quantified within the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system (APES) [...]
