Problem: In a mangrove swamp, mangrove tree crabs consume the leaves of mangroves and are food for other animals. By eating decaying mangrove leaves, animal wastes, and dead animals, they help create detritus that forms the base of many of the swamp's aquatic food chains. In addition, they burrow in the wet soil, which mixes air containing oxygen with the soil. What is likely to happen to the stability of the community if a disease destroys the population of mangrove tree crabs?
Think about how a community adjusts when one species is negatively affected.