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Competition between a native freshwater crab and an invasive crayfish in tropical Southeast Asia

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Abstract

The freshwater crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, has been introduced across many tropical regions globally. This popular aquarium and aquaculture species, similar to many other non-native crayfish, is widely establish and can negatively affect native populations and ecosystems. Studies quantifying the impacts of C. quadricarinatus, however, are notably lacking. This study aims to address this paucity through investigations of potential interspecific competition in the tropical Southeast Asia. Owing to the lack of native crayfish within Sundaic Southeast Asia, we focus on the interactions between C. quadricarinatus and Parathelphusa maculata, a tropical lowland freshwater crab. The native crab is a functional equivalent freshwater decapod crustacean that is found in forest streams with the non-native crayfish, and interaction between the two species can possibly result in population level changes. As such, we quantify the factors (i.e. aggressiveness, size, and species combinations) that are associated competitive outcomes (for shelter) via ex situ experiments; and utilize in situ surveys to determine if these factors can influence the distribution of both species in streams where they co-occur. Results indicate that an asymmetry resulting from large C. quadricarinatus being able to effectively outcompete smaller P. maculata can explain the negative correlation between the size of the two species in situ. This is congruent with the relative distribution patterns of the two species, and suggests that healthy populations of P. maculata (i.e., with a wider range of sizes, including larger individuals) can prevent/slow the spread of the alien crayfish in recipient habitats. Findings from this study represent an important first step towards understanding and managing the impacts of this increasingly popular and worrisome tropical non-native species.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Siti Zarina Zainul Rahim, Eric R Larson, L Roman Carrasco and Peter A Todd for their input towards improving this paper. We also thank Daniel Ng JJ, Claudia Tan LY, and Kenny Chua WJ for their assistance in the field. This study was supported by the Ah Meng Memorial Conservation Fund (National University of Singapore Grant Number R-154-000- 617-720) and National Parks Board Singapore (NP/RP15-110 and NP/RP15-028).

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore

    Yiwen Zeng, Khaizar Khuzema Shakir & Darren C. J. Yeo

  2. Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, 2 Conservatory Drive, Singapore, 117377, Republic of Singapore

    Darren C. J. Yeo

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  1. Yiwen Zeng
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  2. Khaizar Khuzema Shakir
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Zeng, Y., Shakir, K.K. & Yeo, D.C.J. Competition between a native freshwater crab and an invasive crayfish in tropical Southeast Asia. Biol Invasions 21, 2653–2663 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02009-6

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