Prior to the introduction of stained crabs to an experimental plot, early juvenile blue
2 crabs of a particular size class (J1–J2 versus J3–J5) were removed from each 1 m
2 experimental area with sweep-nets. The 1-m experimental area was continually sampled
until three successive sweep-net samples yielded no animals. We recorded the approximate
sizes and numbers of ‘other’ epifaunal macrofauna (including other juvenile blue
crabs), removed the targeted size class of crabs to be used in the experiment, and
reintroduced the rest of the assemblage back into the experimental plot. A total of 64
2 2 stained crabs (16 per 0.25 m ) were then placed within inverted 0.25-m , 500-mm mesh
enclosures (herein referred to as box sieves) that covered each plot, and were allowed 15
2 min to acclimate before removal of the box sieves. The four 0.25-m box sieves were
2 used to evenly distribute the marked crabs within the 1-m seagrass plot, and hopefully
2 avoid density-dependent dispersal due to uneven distribution of crabs within the 1-m
plot. The stained crabs were then recaptured from the experimental plot 6 h after their
initial introduction.