Abstract: This paper studied the impacts of starvation on the morphology, behavior, survival, and physiology of juvenile Eriocheir sinensis at water temperature 26.2-28.4 ℃, and determined the point of reserve saturation (PRS) and the point of no return (PNR). Under starvation, the time the first death occurred (T₁) for the E. sinensis juveniles at stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ was 8.0, 14.0, and 20.3 d, the time the 50% mortality occurred (T₅₀) was 11.4, 16.0, and 25.5 d, and the time the 100% mortality occurred (T₁₀₀) was 15.0, 22.0, and 32.3 d, respectively. The ability of starvation resistance for stage Ⅲ juveniles was the highest, followed by stage Ⅱ, and stage Ⅰ juveniles. During starvation period, the moisture content of E. sinensis increased, dry weight decreased significantly, and the dry weight loss rate decreased gradually with the extension of time. Under the feeding strategy of presatiation, the molting rate of stage Ⅱ juveniles increased with the extension of feeding time, and the PRS₅₀ was 2.10 d. No significant difference was found in the molting duration between different treatment groups and continuous feeding group. However, if continuous feeding lasted less than 3 d, the weight of the juvenile crabs in each treatment couldn’t reach to that of the continuous feeding group. Under the feeding strategy of prestarvation, the molting rate of stage Ⅱ juveniles decreased with the extension of starvation time, the PNR₅₀ was 9.95±0.33 d, and the PNR₁₀₀ was 14 d. The time of molting cycle extended, and the gap was approximately equal to the initial starvation time. There was no extra feeding time taken to offset the lost energy during the starvation period. No significant difference was observed in the body weight after molting between treatment groups and control group (P> 0.05).

Key words: soil organic carbon, soil organic carbon stock., soil aggregate, gravel-mulched field