Strong impacts of signal crayfish invasion on upland stream fish and invertebrate communities

Galib, Shams Muhammad; John,David,Stuart, Findlay,; Lucas, Martyn C.

doi:10.1111/fwb.13631

Cited by 23 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…Crayfish negatively impact benthic fish populations in other systems, for example in the Ouse River, England, where the presence of signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852) resulted in increased benthic fish mortalities due to direct predation (Guan & Wiles, 1997). More recently, long‐term monitoring results showed the capacity for signal crayfish to cause complete extirpations of some benthic fish species in the River Tees catchment, UK (Galib et al, 2021). Similar results have been detected for the Rusty crayfish Faxonius rusticus (Girard, 1852) in Illinois, U.S.A. (Thomas & Taylor, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive crayfish outperform Potamonautid crabs at higher temperatures

2021

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Data on ecological impacts of freshwater crayfish invasions in Africa are scarce but invasion history suggests the likelihood of negative implications for biodiversity. To evaluate the potential for ecological impacts we describe the consumer‐resource dynamics of two established crayfish species (Cherax quadricarinatus and Procambarus clarkii) in comparison with the native trophic analogue, the freshwater crab Potamonautes perlatus preying upon Clarias gariepinus fry using comparative functional responses (FRs) and FR ratio (FRR). Experiments were conducted under dark and light conditions as well as low (19°C) and high (28°C) temperature treatments. All three species exhibited potentially population destabilising Type II (hyperbolic) FRs towards prey, which was significantly higher in the dark than in the light. At low temperatures, P. perlatus exhibited the highest maximum feeding estimate although the FR curve was not significantly different from C. quadricarinatus at the highest prey densities. Both crayfish species had higher attack rates at both temperatures and consumed significantly more prey at the high temperature than P. perlatus. The FRR of both crayfish species at the high temperature treatment was higher than that of P. perlatus due to high attack rate and low handling parameters. At 19°C, P. perlatus had a higher or negligible relative FR magnitude compared to P. clarkii and C. quadricarinatus respectively, which suggests some degree of biotic resistance at this temperature; however, this resistance is decreased at 28°C. Cherax quadricarinatus consistently had disruptive FR parameters across both temperatures. Findings from this study represent an important step towards understanding the impacts of crayfish in Africa for public authorities and environmental managers. The two invasive crayfish species have the potential to exert greater per capita impacts on benthic prey communities in invaded systems as shown by their high FRs and FRRs. Furthermore, C. quadricarinatus is an emerging invader globally and our results provide evidence of potential for negative ecological impact regardless of thermal conditions. African countries and their respective environmental managers should therefore maximise efforts to prevent the introduction and spread of these invaders to conserve native biodiversity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive crayfish outperform Potamonautid crabs at higher temperatures

2021

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“…Signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana 1852), was introduced across Europe during recent decades, threatening native European crayfish and freshwater communities 1 , 2 . Non-native crayfish have strong negative impacts on native crayfish 3 , 4 , freshwater biodiversity 5 – 8 and ecosystem functioning 1 , 9 . However, their ecological effects at different life stages, or differences between sexes, are poorly understood in natural populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet and trophic niche of the invasive signal crayfish in the first invaded Italian stream ecosystem

Ercoli

Ghia

Gruppuso

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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The occurrence of the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus in the Valla Stream was the first established population of this invasive species recorded in an Italian stream ecosystem. We evaluated the seasonality of diet and trophic niche of invasive signal crayfish in order to estimate the ecological role and effects on native communities of the stream ecosystem. We studied the differences in food source use between sexes, life stages and seasons using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses. To supplement stable isotope analyses, we evaluated food source usage using traditional stomach content analysis. We tested the hypothesis that juveniles have a different diet, showing different trophic niches, compared to adults. Results indicated that signal crayfish adult and juvenile diets mainly rely on macroinvertebrates and periphyton in summer, shifting to mostly periphyton in autumn. Although the two age classes occupied an equivalent trophic niche, juveniles showed slightly different carbon isotope values, suggesting a somewhat ontogenetic shift consistent among seasons. No significant differences were found in adult and juvenile diets between summer and autumn seasons. Our findings suggest that signal crayfish juveniles and adults exhibited seasonal feeding habits, probably due to ecological behaviour rather than food resource availability, and that both are likely to impose similar effects on macroinvertebrate communities in this and similar stream ecosystems.

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“…Moreover, the signal crayfish can modify spawning substrate for gravel-breeding fish and limit food resources through its strong tendency to dig burrows (Guan, 1994;Harvey et al, 2011;Johnson et al, 2011). Studies before and after P. leniusculus invasion in some upland streams indicate a decline in the abundance of benthic fish and juvenile salmonids (Galib et al, 2021). Consequently, considering that the Drwęca River catchment is a nature reserve, signal crayfish expansion poses a threat to protected salmonid fishes inhabiting this area.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently the signal crayfish is considered to be the most widely-distributed alien crayfish, and it occurs in at least twenty European countries (Kouba et al, 2014). Moreover, the species has a large environmental impact on native crayfish species (Gherardi, 2007;Holdich et al, 2009;Savini et al, 2010;Galib et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three crayfish species of different origin in a medium-sized river system: a new state of affairs

Radtke

Bernaś

Dębowski

et al. 2021

Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst.

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In view of contemporary changes in aquatic environments, determining the distribution of both native and emerging invasive crayfish species is increasingly important. In central Europe, the three invasive crayfish species of the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852), the spiny-cheek crayfish Faxonius limosus (Rafinesque, 1817) and the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarki (Girard, 1852) are of North American origin. The spiny-cheek crayfish was first brought to the southern Baltic basin at the end of nineteenth century, and its expansion ensued rapidly. At the same time, the indigenous species of the noble crayfish Astacus astacus (Linnaeus, 1758) began to disappear. The spread of the signal crayfish started in the second half of twentieth century; however, it has progressed strongly in recent years. Latest studies of fish fauna in the Drwęca River system, a tributary of the lower Vistula River, have simultaneously revealed new information on the occurrence of crayfish. The most widespread was spiny-cheek crayfish found at ten sites throughout the river basin. The second alien species, the signal crayfish, was noted in four locations in the upper part of the river system, but no mixed populations were noted. A particularly valuable result of the study was the discovery of an unknown site of noble crayfish in a small stream.

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Strong impacts of signal crayfish invasion on upland stream fish and invertebrate communities

Cited by 23 publications

References 90 publications

Invasive crayfish outperform Potamonautid crabs at higher temperatures

Invasive crayfish outperform Potamonautid crabs at higher temperatures

Diet and trophic niche of the invasive signal crayfish in the first invaded Italian stream ecosystem

Three crayfish species of different origin in a medium-sized river system: a new state of affairs

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