TRANSCRIPT:
I was standing on a tidal creek recently at low tide, and if you've ever taken the time to look down instead of out, you know the mud is alive. Hundreds of little fiddler crabs were moving at once. The males have that one oversized claw - sometimes nearly half their body weight - and they use it to signal to females and warn off other males.
What most folks don't realize is those crabs are also engineers. As they dig and feed, they turn over the mud and pull oxygen into the soil. That helps break down organic material and supports the entire food web.
So next time you're near the coast, pause for a minute at low tide. The smallest creatures under your boots are doing some of the most important work.