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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332567
Title: Influence of instream habitat and water quality on aggressive behavior in crayfish of channelized headwater streams

Author
item WOOD, TYLER - Indiana University-Purdue University
item GILLESPIE, ROBERT - Indiana University-Purdue University
item Smiley, Peter - Rocky

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2016
Publication Date: 3/26/2016
Citation: Wood, T., Gillespie, R.B., Smiley, P.C. 2016. Influence of instream habitat and water quality on aggressive behavior in crayfish of channelized headwater streams. Meeting Abstract. 2016 Indiana Academy of Sciences Meeting, March 25 to March 26, 2016, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Many agricultural drainage ditches that border farm fields of the Midwestern United States are degraded headwater streams that possess communities of crayfish. We hypothesized that crayfish communities at sites with low instream habitat diversity and poor water quality would show greater evidence of aggression. In this study eight sites on channelized headwater streams feeding Cedar Creek in Northeastern Indiana, nine sites feeding Upper Big Walnut Creek in Central Ohio, and one site on the East Branch of the Saint Joseph River in Southeastern Michigan were monitored over two years for evidence of crayfish aggression. All adult crayfish captured were identified to species, sexed, measured, and damaged appendages were scored as injuries. Data on instream habitat and water quality were also collected. Concentrations of nutrients and pesticides at all study sites were provided by scientists at the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory. In Indiana, four species of crayfish were found; Orconectes rusticus, Orconectes immunis, Procambarus acutus and Cambarus bartonii. In Ohio; C. bartonii O. rusticus and O. immunis were captured. In Michigan, only Orconectes propinquus and C. bartonii were found. All sites surveyed had live captures of adult crayfish on at least one sample date. The highest abundance of adult crayfish (124 individuals) was recorded at the reference site in Michigan. The mean count of injuries per individual, frequency of injured individuals, and crayfish density varied among sites. A habitat diversity index and a water quality index were developed to assess site quality. A mixed model multiple regression analysis was used to correlate site quality index values with crayfish behavior response variables. We expect to see lower frequency of injuries in crayfish communities of ditches with high habitat diversity index values, high water quality index values, and low densities.