Abstract
The number of submarine cables in marine environment is increasing. Thus, marine organisms, especially benthic invertebrates are exposed to magnetic fields generated by those cables. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of static magnetic field (SMF) and electromagnetic field (EMF) on the behaviour and physiology of Rhithropanopeus harrisii during a series of laboratory experiments. Neither SMF nor EMF significantly affected oxygen consumption rate, ammonia excretion rate and haemolymph osmotic concentration after 8-day exposure. In experiment related to spatial preferences crabs showed a clear attraction to EMF and were more active in EMF than in the geomagnetic field. In small areas without additional cues (locomotor activity experiment) EMF did not elicit changes in activity, whereas in experiment on conspecific behaviour crabs were more active and socially interactive. In SMF neither attraction nor avoidance behaviour was observed but decrease in activity and less interaction between individuals was noted.