Crab Physiology

Crab Physiology

Objective :

Students will understand the components and functions of a crab's circulatory and respiratory systems, and how crabs may serve as indicators of environmental degradation.

National Science Education Standards:

  • Content Standard A:  Science as Inquiry (9-12)

      • Ability to Do Scientific Inquiry

      Understandings About Scientific Inquiry

  • Content Standard C:  Life Science (9-12)

      • Interdependence of Organisms

      Behavior of Organisms

Warm-Up: Discuss with students whether they think animals can feel stress, and ask them to describe factors that might cause stressful situations for particular animals. Ask them if they think it is possible to measure an animal’s stress level, and if so, how? How might this information be beneficial to humans?

Background:

Student Activities:

Assessment:

  • Explain why crabs need to stay moist in order to breathe.

      • Give a description of the differences between the circulatory systems in a crab and human.

      What are the differences between crab and human blood?

      Explain how and why crabs may be used as indicators of pollution in estuarine environments.

Additional Resources:

To read the following two articles in their entirety, please visit www.globalheartbeat.org and after entering the site, click on “Publications.”

    Evaluation of Changes in the Adaptive Physiology Of Shore Crabs (Carcinus Maenas) as an Indicator of Pollution in Estuarine Environments, by S. D. Bamber and M. H. Depledge, Marine Biology (1997) 129: 667-672.

    The Conceptual Basis of the Biomarker Approach
    by M.H. Depledge (facilitator) J.J. Amaral-Mendes, B. Daniel, R.S. Halbrook, P. Kloepper-sams, M.N. Moore and D.B. Peakall.

    Tales of the Blue Crab (contains color photos of internal anatomy and different sexes)

    http://www.serc.si.edu/education/resources/bluecrab/

    Blue Crab Archives

    http://www.blue-crab.org/faq.htm

    British Marine Life Study Society (contains color photos of different crab species)

    http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/BMLSS/CRABSX.html

Environmental Indicators

 

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