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Landscape Analyses Offer a Promising Tool for Managing Native and Alien Crayfish Species
Weinländer M, Bou-vinals A and Füreder L 
Published Online: 12/31/2014
Abstract
Despite the knowledge on the mechanisms causing population declines in European crayfish stocks (e.g., crayfish plague, alien species, habitat loss), the assessment and quantification of their threats have received insufficient attention. We aimed to assess the potential range of indigenous (ICS) and nonindigenous crayfish species (NICS) in Carinthia (Austria) by developing habitat suitability models of the native Astacus astacus and Austropotamobius torrentium, as well as the invasive Pacifastacus leniusculus. Based on landscape elements, we defined the level of fragmentation in catchments having ICS and NICS. This information was used, together with spatial distances to potentially plague carrying NICS, roads and settlements, to calculate a threat index evaluating the endangerment of each remaining ICS population (including Austropotamobius pallipes). We found A. torrentium had the widest potential distribution, while the potential range of A. astacus and P. leniusculus was mainly overlapping. Riverine and lacustrine landscapes with ICS and NICS occurrence were highly fragmented and logistic regression models showed that extinct ICS populations were positively associated with settlements, but negatively so to barriers. Existing stocks of Austropotamobius were less endangered than those of A. astacus since populations of the former are located at higher elevations resulting with lower human impacts. In contrast, P. leniusculus was associated with human infrastructures in the lowlands. The threat index identified the most endangered ICS populations. The tools and analyses applied here at the landscape level are helpful to establish catchment-based conservation plans for threatened ICS, and to predict the further spread of NICS.
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How to Cite
Weinländer M, Bou-vinals A and Füreder L. (2014). Landscape Analyses Offer a Promising Tool for Managing Native and Alien Crayfish Species. Freshwater Crayfish 20(1):27-40. doi: 10.5869/fc.2014.v20-1.27
Author Information
Martin Weinländer,* Team Naturschutz und Biologie, REVITAL Integrative Naturraumplanung GmbH, Nußdorf 71, Nußdorf-Debant, Tyrol, Austria9990. E-mail: m.weinlaender@revital-ib.at
Leopold Füreder, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria6020. E-mail: leopold.fuereder@uibk.ac.at
Andrea Bou-Vinals, Institute of Ecolgy, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria6020. E-mail: andrea.bou-vinals@uibk.ac.at
Corresponding Author indicated by an *.
Publication History
Manuscript Submitted: 6/6/2013
Manuscript Accepted: 9/12/2014
Published Online: 12/31/2014
Published in Print: 12/31/2014
Funding Information
No specific funding statement is available for this article.