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How consumption and fragmentation of macrophytes by the invasive crayfish Procambarus clarkii shape the macrophyte communities of temporary ponds

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Abstract

Crayfish are major herbivores in freshwaters, and their activity may change invaded freshwater ecosystems. Macrophyte removal by crayfish results from consumption and fragmentation of plant material and may depend upon the palatability of each species. We studied the impact of Procambarus clarkii on the macrophyte community of Mediterranean temporary ponds, testing in laboratory if consumption and fragmentation of five macrophyte species were correlated in palatability tests and in a preference test. We performed an experiment in a natural pond, where we introduced crayfish and estimated its effects on macrophyte biomass, number of rooted stalks and number of floating cut stalks. P. clarkii consumed preferably Juncus heterophyllus in both tests and avoided Carex divisa and Ranunculus peltatus in the preference test. In the presence of preferred species, consumption and fragmentation of the non-preferred species were heavily reduced. In the field trial, the “Crayfish” compartment had 31% less macrophyte biomass, 41% less rooted stalks and 92% more floating cut stalks. Crayfish may remove macrophyte species from the community sequentially, from the most to the least preferred species. Impacts of crayfish in temporary ponds may depend on time of invasion and on the composition of the macrophyte community.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financed by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal) through Financiamento Plurianual to Rui Rebelo and was accomplished in the facilities of the field station of Centro de Biologia Ambiental in Herdade da Ribeira Abaixo (Grândola). Bruno Carreira benefited from a doctoral fellowship from FCT (SFRH/BD/80341/2011) and Maria Dias benefited from postdoctoral fellowship from FCT (BPD/46827/08). The authors also thank the reviewers for the comments and suggestions that greatly improved the quality of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Bloco C2, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    B. M. Carreira & R. Rebelo

  2. Eco-Ethology Research Unit, ISPA, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal

    M. P. Dias

  3. Museu Nacional História Natural, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politécnica 58, 1250-102, Lisbon, Portugal

    M. P. Dias

Authors
  1. B. M. Carreira
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  2. M. P. Dias
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Correspondence to B. M. Carreira.

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Handling editor: Katya E. Kovalenko

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Carreira, B.M., Dias, M.P. & Rebelo, R. How consumption and fragmentation of macrophytes by the invasive crayfish Procambarus clarkii shape the macrophyte communities of temporary ponds. Hydrobiologia 721, 89–98 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-013-1651-1

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