Publication Abstract

Case studies on the co-occurrence of Astacus astacus (L.) and Orconectes limosus (Raf.): snapshots of a slow displacement

H.K. Schulz, P. Smietana, T. Maiwald, B. Oidtmann and R. Schulz

Four lakes with known co-existence of the non-indigenous crayfish Orconectes limosus and the European native crayfish Astacus astacus in northwestern Poland were studied in summer 2003. O. limosus was introduced into the lakes between one and ten years ago. The population structure of both species and the frequency of injuries were estimated bymeans of mark and recapture, hand catching and scuba-diving. Using molecular diagnostics and infection experiments, no positive indications were found that these populations of O. limosus are carriers of the crayfish plague. Increased frequencies of injured A. astacus with an increasing proportion of O. limosus and the dominance of O. limosus after 10 years of coexistence suggests that O. limosus is able to replace A. astacus in direct competition.

Reference:

H.K. Schulz, P. Smietana, T. Maiwald, B. Oidtmann and R. Schulz (2006) Case studies on the co-occurrence of Astacus astacus (L.) and Orconectes limosus (Raf.): snapshots of a slow displacement. Rogers D (Editor): Freshwater Crayfish 15