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Do introduced crayfish affect benthic fish in stony littoral habitats of large boreal lakes?

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Abstract

Invasive crayfish are spreading rapidly across Europe, where they are replacing the native crayfish species and impacting negatively on some other biota. Freshwater crayfish and many benthic fishes share similar habitat and food requirements and hence potentially compete for resources. In this study, we investigated impacts of the introduced signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) on fish in stony littoral habitats of two large boreal lakes. We compared the littoral fish community composition and the densities of two common benthic fish species between sites with and without crayfish. To evaluate whether signal crayfish share the same food resources as benthic littoral fish or change their feeding habits, we used mixing models and trophic niche estimates based on analyses of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Both the community composition of littoral fish and the densities of benthic fish species were similar at sites with and without signal crayfish. Even though stable isotope signatures indicated strong dietary overlap between crayfish and benthic fish, the use of food sources and trophic niche widths of fish were not noticeably different between crayfish sites and non-crayfish sites. Our results suggest that, at current densities, the non-native signal crayfish does not have significant impacts on benthic fish in the stony littoral habitats of large boreal lakes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Simo Jalli, Pasi Laulumaa, Juho Haatanen, Marjut Mykrä and Kimmo Sivonen for assistance with the field work. We also thank Prof. Roger Jones for checking the language and for useful comments. Critical comments of two anonymous reviewers helped to improve the manuscript. The study was supported by the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation and the Crayfish Research Program of the Finnish Game and Fisheries Institute.

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  1. Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, Survontie 9, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Timo J. Ruokonen, Juha Karjalainen, Mikko Kiljunen & Heikki Hämäläinen

  2. Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Jyväskylä Game and Fisheries Research, Survontie 9, 40500, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Markku Pursiainen

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  1. Timo J. Ruokonen
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Correspondence to Timo J. Ruokonen.

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Ruokonen, T.J., Karjalainen, J., Kiljunen, M. et al. Do introduced crayfish affect benthic fish in stony littoral habitats of large boreal lakes?. Biol Invasions 14, 813–825 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-011-0118-4

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