The influence of benthic organisms on the turnover rate of leaf litter is considered a vital factor to regulate the dynamic of soil organic carbon (SOC) in mangroves. Among the benthic organisms, sesearmids (i.e. Neosarmatium smithi, Episesarma versicolor and Perisesarma cf. guttatum) contribute evidently to this process but the machanisms are poorly known. To quantify this interaction the current study was carried out in a southern mangrove patch of Sri Lanka. The amount of SOC among the sites ranged from 8.20 ± 2.05 to 18.52 ± 4.63 kgm⁻². The ecological zonations (e.g. disturbed and least disturbed) due to land-use changes and pollution events influence the variations of physico-chemical parameters among the habitats. Accordingly, the SOC sedimentation was increased with high crab density and biomass in the least disturbed sites. The stem density of mangroves showed a positive linear relationship with mean crab biomass; representing the mangroves as habitat providers. High amounts of mangrove propagules in crab burrows provide substantial inputs to the standing stock and finally to the SOC sedimentation process.

底栖生物对凋落物周转率的影响被认为是调节红树林土壤有机碳（SOC）动态的重要因素。在底栖生物中，芝麻类（即Neosarmatium smithi、Episesarma versicolor和Perisesarma cf. guttatum）对这一过程做出了明显的贡献，但其机制却知之甚少。为了量化这种相互作用，当前的研究是在斯里兰卡南部的红树林地区进行的。各站点之间的 SOC 量范围为 8.20 ± 2.05 至 18.52 ± 4.63 kgm ⁻²。由于土地利用变化和污染事件而产生的生态分区（例如受干扰和最少干扰）影响生境中物理化学参数的变化。因此，在受干扰最少的地点，SOC 沉积随着螃蟹密度和生物量的增加而增加。红树林茎密度与蟹类平均生物量呈正线性关系；代表红树林作为栖息地提供者。蟹洞中大量的红树林繁殖体为现有种群以及最终的 SOC 沉积过程提供了大量的输入。