World of Crayfish™: a web platform towards real-time global mapping of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens

Freshwater crayfish are amongst the largest macroinvertebrates and play a keystone role in the ecosystems they occupy. Understanding the global distribution of these animals is often hindered due to a paucity of distributional data. Additionally, non-native crayfish introductions are becoming more frequent, which can cause severe environmental and economic impacts. Management decisions related to crayfish and their habitats require accurate, up-to-date distribution data and mapping tools. Such data are currently patchily distributed with limited accessibility and are rarely up-to-date. To address these challenges, we developed a versatile e-portal to host distributional data of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens (using Aphanomyces astaci, the causative agent of the crayfish plague, as the most prominent example). Populated with expert data and operating in near real-time, World of Crayfish™ is a living, publicly available database providing worldwide distributional data sourced by experts in the field. The database offers open access to the data through specialized standard geospatial services (Web Map Service, Web Feature Service) enabling users to view, embed, and download customizable outputs for various applications. The platform is designed to support technical enhancements in the future, with the potential to eventually incorporate various additional features. This tool serves as a step forward towards a modern era of conservation planning and management of freshwater biodiversity

Habitat suitability modelling of primary burrowing crayfishes, with a new state record for <i>Procambarus liberorum</i> Fitzpatrick, 1978 (Decapoda: Astacidea: Cambaridae)

Abstract Distributional surveys of primary burrowing crayfishes have historically been limited due to the challenge of finding and excavating burrows. Habitat suitability models (HSMs) have proven useful in explaining distributional patterns of many species, including crayfish. We used Maxent-derived HSMs to examine potential expansion of the known range of the Osage burrowing crayfish, Procambarus liberorumFitzpatrick 1978. We document the first record of P. liberorum in Missouri, extending its known range 54.2 km north. During modelling we encountered inaccurate GPS coordinates and difficulties with characterizing roadside ditch habitats from coarse urban land cover classifications. We discuss these limitations and highlight considerations for future modelling of primary burrowing crayfish.</jats:p

Integrating burrowing crayfish and waterfowl conservation management on moist-soil wetlands

SummaryThe North American Waterfowl Management Plan highlights the importance of enhancing waterfowl habitat for productivity and resilience. Many forms of land management are conducted in wetlands to support the diverse communities of waterfowl and other species. Primary burrowing crayfish are also abundant and important in these environments, but little research is available assessing the effects of waterfowl land management on primary burrowers. We examined the response of the digger crayfish, Creaserinus fodiens, to the common vegetation management practices of mowing and disking at waterfowl conservation areas in south-eastern Missouri. Our results demonstrated that at a fine scale, crayfish density was affected by only canopy cover. We also highlighted distributional effects of landscape-level environmental variables and suggested that habitat generalists were tolerant of vegetation management, responding more to vegetation composition and broader landscape effects. We discuss wetlands conservation practices and suggest that burrowing crayfish management would integrate well with some current management strategies for waterfowl.</jats:p

Resource Use by the Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus

Abstract Understanding species’ habitat and resource requirements is critical for effective conservation. To assess whether a species is imperiled, data are needed on its range and natural history. In this study, we examined the resource use, including diet and habitat associations, of the Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus, a narrowly endemic primary burrowing crayfish in southcentral Arkansas. We found that F. petilicarpus has an omnivorous diet, feeding on aquatic invertebrates and detritus. We compared habitat characteristics of sites in the Ouachita drainage that contained F. petilicarpus and sites with other primary burrowing crayfish. Fallicambarus petilicarpus inhabits roadside ditches with low elevation and reduced canopy cover, like other primary burrowing species in the region. Comparisons among burrowing crayfish suggest there may be overlap in environmental niches of species in this region and subsequent competition. Field sampling expanded the known range of F. petilicarpus from ~174 km2 to ~1150 km2. Fallicambarus petilicarpus remains a narrowly endemic species with potential to be threatened by habitat loss and food scarcity caused by urban expansion and climate change.</jats:p

A global review of life history studies on burrowing crayfish

Abstract Burrowing crayfishes have historically lacked life history data due to their elusive nature and difficultly extracting them from burrows. This review provides a synopsis of current literature on burrowing crayfishes’ life histories and a quantitative analysis of published life history content. Only 69 publications covering 94 burrowing species (approx. 39%) met our criteria for a life history study. Many species had only partial life histories documented and two genera (Engaewa and Tenuibranchiurus) had no life history studies available. Size and reproductive season were the most recorded traits across studies while others such as mortality and age/size at molting events were rarely recorded. Reproductive investment, an important predictor of imperilment, was lacking in 87% of burrowing species. Our review emphasizes the need to include life history data with new species descriptions and conduct basic life history studies to effectively assess data-deficient species and protect the future of our threatened burrowing crayfishes.</jats:p

Appendix: A Global Review of Life History Studies on Burrowing Crayfish

Burrowing crayfishes have historically lacked life history data due to their elusive nature and difficultly extracting them from burrows. This review provides a synopsis of current literature on burrowing crayfishes’ life histories and a quantitative analysis of published life history content. Only 69 publications covering 94 burrowing species (~39%) met our criteria for a life history study. Our review emphasizes the need to include life history data with new species descriptions and conduct basic life history studies to effectively assess data deficient species and protect the future of our threatened burrowing crayfishes. This appendix provides supplemental material for table II of the main article.Ope

Supplemental Material: A Global Review of Life History Studies on Burrowing Crayfish

Burrowing crayfishes have historically lacked life history data due to their elusive nature and difficultly extracting them from burrows. This review provides a synopsis of current literature on burrowing crayfishes’ life histories and a quantitative analysis of published life history content. Only 69 publications covering 94 burrowing species (~39%) met our criteria for a life history study. Our review emphasizes the need to include life history data with new species descriptions and conduct basic life history studies to effectively assess data deficient species and protect the future of our threatened burrowing crayfishes. This file provides supplementary data to the publication including primary and secondary burrowing species and the life history traits in reviewed publications.Ope

Resource Use by the Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus

Abstract Understanding species’ habitat and resource requirements is critical for effective conservation. To assess whether a species is imperiled, data are needed on its range and natural history. In this study, we examined the resource use, including diet and habitat associations, of the Slenderwrist Burrowing Crayfish, Fallicambarus petilicarpus, a narrowly endemic primary burrowing crayfish in southcentral Arkansas. We found that F. petilicarpus has an omnivorous diet, feeding on aquatic invertebrates and detritus. We compared habitat characteristics of sites in the Ouachita drainage that contained F. petilicarpus and sites with other primary burrowing crayfish. Fallicambarus petilicarpus inhabits roadside ditches with low elevation and reduced canopy cover, like other primary burrowing species in the region. Comparisons among burrowing crayfish suggest there may be overlap in environmental niches of species in this region and subsequent competition. Field sampling expanded the known range of F. petilicarpus from ~174 km2 to ~1150 km2. Fallicambarus petilicarpus remains a narrowly endemic species with potential to be threatened by habitat loss and food scarcity caused by urban expansion and climate change.</jats:p