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Plasticity in fecundity highlights the females' importance in the spiny-cheek crayfish invasion mechanism.
Pârvulescu, Lucian; Pîrvu, Malina; Morosan, Loredana-Giorgiana; Zaharia, Claudia.
Afiliação
  • Pârvulescu L; Department of Biology-Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology, Geography, West University of Timisoara, 16A Pestalozzi St, 300115 Timisoara, Romania. Electronic address: lucian.parvulescu@e-uvt.ro.
  • Pîrvu M; Department of Biology-Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology, Geography, West University of Timisoara, 16A Pestalozzi St, 300115 Timisoara, Romania.
  • Morosan LG; Department of Biology-Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology, Geography, West University of Timisoara, 16A Pestalozzi St, 300115 Timisoara, Romania.
  • Zaharia C; Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, West University of Timisoara, V. Parvan Blvd., 300223 Timisoara, Romania.
Zoology (Jena) ; 118(6): 424-32, 2015 Dec.
Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26358988
ABSTRACT
Invasion is one of the most consequential phenomena affecting the distribution of native species. Few in number of species, European crayfish are losing the competition with introduced North American crayfish. The spiny-cheek crayfish, Orconectes limosus, is an outstanding example, successfully competing against the native narrow-clawed crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus. For four years, we collected data regarding crayfish occurrences, their relative abundance, and the structure of populations in the ongoing colonisation process of O. limosus in the lower Danube. The mature females of both invasive and indigenous crayfish species were analysed with respect to biometry and production of oocytes in relation to the dynamics of invasion. The interspecific comparisons showed no significant differences regarding body size, with an average of approximately 102 mm total length and 31 g wet weight for both species. However, the fecundity of the indigenous species was found to be constant throughout the investigated area, whereas the number of eggs produced by the invasive females was significantly increased at the active front of the invasion. The maximum number of ovarian eggs found was 887 and 1156 in the indigenous species and the invasive species, respectively. We propose the scenario that the invasive species, which carries the deadly crayfish plague, creates an ecological advantage by reducing the populations of indigenous crayfish. Subsequently, the invasive females opportunistically use the available resources to enhance their fecundity, resulting in the acute growth of populations. However, the long-term competitiveness and colonisation success of O. limosus still remain in question.
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Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Astacoidea / Espécies Introduzidas Idioma: En Ano de publicação: 2015 Tipo de documento: Article

Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Astacoidea / Espécies Introduzidas Idioma: En Ano de publicação: 2015 Tipo de documento: Article