Shalini Nair
Chartered Accountant, EI Lifestyle Editor
Illustrations by Harinath
The Sundarbans, which means the beautiful forest, is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It spans from the Baleshwar River in Bangladesh to the Hooghly River in West Bengal. From the beautiful Sundari trees to the iconic Bengal tiger, from the endangered river dolphins to the Burmese python, these mangroves are home to thousands of unique species.
But within the labyrinth of estuaries and swamps, there is one species which is the glue that holds the habitat together. Contrary to popular belief, the biodiversity balance of the coastal forest is not maintained by the most powerful species in the ecosystem, but rather by the humble horseshoe crab. Yes, the horseshoe crab is the real keystone species of Sundarbans.
What is a keystone species?
Even though all animals and plants play their part in maintaining the biodiversity of the habitat, the keystone species plays the pivotal role in the overall structure and environment. If we removed the keystone species, it would start a chain of events, which would dramatically change the entire ecosystem.
Horseshoe crabs as a keystone species
Horseshoe crabs play a major role in supporting the rich flora and fauna of the Sundarbans. They churn up sediment settled at the riverbed thus maintaining a productive breeding ground for fish and other marine life. They are called the cleanup crew of nature. They consume decaying and dead organisms and recycle nutrients within the swamps. This provides a healthy ecosystem for the mangroves to flourish and the wildlife to thrive.
Who are these unsung heroes?
The horseshoe crabs are a blue-blooded species, with an appearance similar to the extinct trilobite and an exoskeleton shaped like a horseshoe with a long tail. They are called living fossils as they retain the same traits as their ancient ancestors from millions of years ago.
These species predate dinosaurs and have survived five mass extinctions. They work relentlessly to sustain the ecosystem without much acknowledgement and have been doing so for the last 250 million years.
The formidable foe
Today, we humans have proved to be the formidable foes to these prehistoric crustaceans. The horseshoe crab, which survived the dinosaurs, asteroids, and major volcanic eruptions, are facing extinction due to over-exploitation by human beings.
While the conservation of species such as the Royal Bengal tigers, Ganges dolphins and estuarian crocodiles has been dominating the headlines, there is little to no effort to save these small yet magnificent creatures. We, as stewards of the planet, ought to recognize the significant contributions of these unassuming beings, that play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of our environment.
Reference: News ; Research Paper
Wow... when u 1st told abt importance of Horseshoe Crabs...I thought, "Crab ko ithna scene hai kya?"
After reading the article, it opened my mind...n while searching for illustrations, I totally fell for it...
These tiny creatures playing such an important role in ecology is mind-blowing...
Kudos @Shalini Nair..keep exploring such unconventional observations...