2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/27/2021 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | INVASIVE RUSTY CRAYFISH ARE CONTROLLED BY MICROSPORIDIAN DISEASES | Virtual Platform
INVASIVE RUSTY CRAYFISH ARE CONTROLLED BY MICROSPORIDIAN DISEASES
Invasive crayfishes are among the most widespread freshwater invaders, causing ecological harm through competition and habitat alternation. Invasive rusty crayfish, for example, impact macrophyte, invertebrate, and fish communities at the whole-lake scale. Crayfish can harbor a diverse suite of pathogens, but the potential for these pathogens to mitigate invasive crayfish impacts is not well understood. In 2019, our research team discovered a Nosema sp. microsporidian (spore-forming parasite) outbreak in rusty crayfish in Trout Lake, WI. We evaluated the effects of this parasite on crayfish density, condition (righting response), behavior (activity and foraging), growth, and survival using lake-wide trapping surveys, behavioral assays, and a laboratory transmission experiment. Rusty crayfish in Trout Lake were infected at a high rate by the Nosema sp. microsporidian (48% prevalence) and their density has declined by 79% since 2016. Individuals infected with the microsporidian were in poor condition, were less active, and had altered foraging behavior. Preliminary results suggest crayfish fed microsporidian infected tissue consume less food and are less likely to molt, leading to a slower growth rate. Thus, infection with Nosema sp. may decrease the ecological impacts from rusty crayfish invasions.
- Biological interactions
- Stressor
- Monitoring
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Presenters/Authors
Cheyenne Stratton
(), University of Florida, c.stratton@ufl.edu;
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Jamie Bojko
(), Teesside University, J.Bojko@tees.ac.uk;
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Donald Behringer
(), University of Florida, behringer@ufl.edu;
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Lindsey Reisinger
(), University of Florida, lreisinger1@ufl.edu;
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