Source: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA submitted to
MOVEMENT AND HABITAT SELECTION IN A NON-NATIVE CRAYFISH
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0204245
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
ARZT-136702-H-12-172
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jul 1, 2005
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2009
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Matter, W. J.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
888 N EUCLID AVE
TUCSON,AZ 85719-4824
Performing Department
Natural Resources & the Environment
Non Technical Summary
The ability of nonnative aquatic invertebrates, like crayfish, to invade aquatic environments is highly dependent on their ability to move across uninhabitable areas between water bodies. The proposed research will test the ability of nonnative crayfish to move across non-habitat areas of different levels of harshness and invade new water bodies.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
75%
Applied
25%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
13508991070100%
Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife;

Subject Of Investigation
0899 - Wildlife and natural fisheries, general/other;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
We will study habitat selection behavior, underwater exploratory behavior, and out-of-water emigration behavior in northern crayfish (Orconectes virilis), a nonnative species that has invaded many southern Arizona streams and lakes. Our specific objectives are to: 1) Determine environmental conditions or resources required to prompt the settling response in O. virilis (to determine conditions that represent habitat); 2) Record frequency and distance of movements of individual crayfish known to be volitional residents in experimental enclosures with underwater channels for exploration (to determine the ability of crayfish to reach new areas during routine exploration); and 3) Record movements of individual crayfish known to be emigrants from experimental enclosures that have underwater exit channels or out-of-water exit ramps and walkways (to determine the ability of crayfish to move across non-habitat areas of different levels of harshness).
Project Methods
We will use experimental microcosms with exit ramps developed and tested by us previously and known to allow crayfish to show normal residency behavior and emigration. We will introduce crayfish into microcosms stocked with different combinations of shelter structures, food, and cover, and use the responses of crayfish, to either stay in or leave the microcosm, as an indication of the adequacy of habitat conditions. Then, we will expose crayfish to different levels of resource conditions (both adequate and inadequate as habitat) and record distances traveled by these crayfish through different lengths of underwater and out-of-water channels. Both types of channels will have one-way gates at the most distant end so that crayfish that move a specific distance cannot return to the microcosm. Resource conditions in microcosms are expected to provide different levels of motivation for exploration. Exits that vary in length and harshness will allow us to test the ability of crayfish to cross non-habitat areas and invade new aquatic environments.

Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07

Outputs
OUTPUTS: We constructed experimental tanks with exits that allow crayfish (Orconectes virilis) to emigrate from or explore outside of the tank to determine: (a) how far crayfish can emigrate and (b) how quality of habitat influences movement. We found that crayfish prefer settings with cover to those without cover, and prefer shelter units of a specific range of diameters. Crayfish leave experimental tanks that have no food, cover, or shelter and travel across a water-less track at least 44 m long. Crayfish also distinguish between experimental habitat patches with varying levels of resources, preferring patches with more cover and shelter units. Crayfish were less likely to move when presented with high quality resources, when humidity is low, and as the warm season progresses. We are examining burrowing behavior in crayfish to test for substrate preference and ability to burrow in different substrates. Crayfish can burrow in both gravel and sand, but prefer sand and in tank areas where there is architectural support. We also are testing how long crayfish can survive outside of water at predetermined humidity levels; preliminary results suggest that at near 100% humidity, animals can survive months out of the water, and at 25% humidity, they can survive only a few hours. These studies will reveal the ability of non-native crayfish to leave one habitat area and colonize new areas, even if crayfish must move across dry land to do so. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals: Cheryl Craddock is working on this project as part of her PhD dissertation research. Dr. William Mannan is Ms. Craddock's PhD advisor and co-mentor on her research. Ms. Craddock has supervised four undergraduate students in their own research experiences with crayfish as part of this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Our target audiences are aquatic natural resource managers and conservation biologists concerned with invasion of waterbodies by non-native crayfish. We have not yet developed recommendations or guidelines for dissemination to these audiences.

Impacts
Data on relatively long survival and movement of crayfish, even when out of water, will give us a basis for making recommendations to resource managers on how to protect waterbodies from invasion by non-native crayfish.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06

Outputs
We constructed experimental tanks with exits that allow crayfish (Orconectes virilis) to emigrate from or explore outside of the tank to determine: (a) how far crayfish can emigrate and (b) how quality of habitat influences movement patterns between tanks. We found that crayfish prefer settings with cover to those without cover, and prefer shelter units with a diameter of 3.8 cm to those with smaller or larger diameters. Crayfish leave experimental tanks that have no food, cover, or shelter and travel across a water-less track at least 44 m long. Crayfish also can distinguish between experimental habitat patches with varying resources, preferring patches with more cover and shelter units. We have begun to examine burrowing behavior in crayfish to test for substrate preference and ability to burrow in different substrates. We also are testing how long crayfish can survive outside of water at predetermined humidity levels. These studies combined will reveal the ability of non-native crayfish to leave one habitat area and colonize new areas, even if crayfish must move across dry land to do so.

Impacts
Data from this project will give resource managers guidance on how to protect waterbodies from invasion by non-native crayfish.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05

Outputs
We constructed experimental tanks with exits that allow crayfish (Orconectes virilis) to emigrate. In 14 preliminary trials, nearly all crayfish quickly emigrated through exitways if food and shelter were not provided and failed to emigrate if food and shelter were provided. These results show that we can create conditions that prompt volitional residency in crayfish. We have begun tests to determine the preference of crayfish for specific types of food and shelter. This work will permit us to determine whether crayfish will distinguish between patches of varying quality over different spatial scales and test their ability to move across unfavorable areas. Finally, we have begun to document the minimum habitat size crayfish will tolerate.

Impacts
Data from this project will give resource managers guidance on how to protect waterbodies from invasion by non-native crayfish.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period