Stream permanence is related to crayfish occupancy and abundance in the Ozark Highlands, USA

Almost one third of all freshwater crayfishes are threatened with extinction. The factors influencing the distribution of freshwater crayfishes in lentic systems are poorly understood, hampering the conservation and enhancement of those populations. Cherax cainii is the third largest freshwater crayfish in the world and is endemic to south‐western Australia. The distribution of the species has declined markedly, largely attributable to secondary salinization and habitat decline. There is the potential for population enhancement through habitat restoration and the restocking of reservoirs that act as important non‐salinized refuges; however, there is limited understanding of the distribution and habitat associations of C. cainii in these systems. Mark–recapture was undertaken to determine the population abundance and fine‐scale distribution of C. cainii in a large reservoir over a 5‐month period, with generalized linear mixed modelling used to determine those factors that explained the variation in its distribution. Cherax cainii distribution in the reservoir was positively associated with complex habitat (large woody material) and the level of inaccessibility to humans, and negatively associated with depth. The population had a non‐uniform distribution within the reservoir with significant hot‐ and cold‐spots present and there was limited distance between recaptures during the coolest period of the year. The findings suggest that C. cainii would benefit from the provision of additional complex habitat in such habitat depauperate reservoirs to provide increased shelter from predators. It may also be vulnerable to localized depletion through legal and illegal fishing pressure. The study highlights the importance of understanding habitat preferences and movement patterns of freshwater crayfish to underpin their conservation.

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Fisher accessibility and habitat complexity influence the distribution of adult Cherax cainii (Decapoda: Parastacidae) in a water supply reservoir

Beatty

Ryan

Morgan

2019

Aquatic Conservation

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All in moderation: crayfish populations are affected by precipitation-driven habitat availability and water quality in a non-perennial stream

Walker

Entrekin

2023

Aquat Sci

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Seasonal variation in population structure and sexual maturity of Sylviocarcinus pictus (Decapoda: Trichodactylidae) in a Neotropical intermittent river

Rios¹,

Damasceno²,

Alves³

et al. 2022

Int. J. Lim.

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Sylviocarcinus pictus is a South American freshwater crab recently recorded for the first time in the Caatinga biome. Our objective was to characterize the population and reproductive biology of S. pictus from the semi-arid northeastern region of Brazil and verify the influence of seasonal environmental changes in this population. The crabs were collected from a stretch of Guaribas River, PI, Brazil, every month between October 2013 and September 2014. The crabs were identified, sexed and the carapace width (CW) was measured. Physiological sexual maturity was determined based on the gonadal development stage. A total of 178 crabs were obtained (111 males and 67 females), with a sex ratio biased towards males 1.66:1. The number of crabs collected was higher in the months of drought. Males and females reach physiological sexual maturity with 36.80 and 34.20 mm of CW, respectively. The occurrence of individuals with developed or developing gonads throughout the study indicates that these crabs reproduce continuously during the year, although recruitment was higher in February and May. Our results indicate that this population uses a reproductive strategy to optimize its reproductive fitness in an intermittent environment.

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Stream permanence is related to crayfish occupancy and abundance in the Ozark Highlands, USA

Cited by 8 publications

References 34 publications

Fisher accessibility and habitat complexity influence the distribution of adult Cherax cainii (Decapoda: Parastacidae) in a water supply reservoir

Fisher accessibility and habitat complexity influence the distribution of adult Cherax cainii (Decapoda: Parastacidae) in a water supply reservoir

All in moderation: crayfish populations are affected by precipitation-driven habitat availability and water quality in a non-perennial stream

Seasonal variation in population structure and sexual maturity of Sylviocarcinus pictus (Decapoda: Trichodactylidae) in a Neotropical intermittent river

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