Native European eels as a potential biological control for invasive crayfish. (14th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Musseau, Camille; Boulenger, Clarisse; Crivelli, Alain J; Lebel, Isabelle; Pascal, Marine; Boulêtreau, Stéphanie; Santoul, Frédéric
• Is Part Of: Freshwater biology. Volume 60:Number 4(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 636
• Page End: 645
• Publication Date: 2014-11-14
• Subjects: Freshwater biology -- Periodicals; Biologie d'eau douce -- Périodiques; 577.605
• DOI: 10.1111/fwb.12510
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0046-5070

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="fwb12510-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p> <list id="fwb12510-list-0001" list-type="order"> <list-item> <p>Invasive species may have strong negative impacts on ecosystems. Invasive crayfish are well known to cause ecological imbalances in freshwater systems and have become targets in eradication programmes.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>The red swamp crayfish (<italic>Procambarus clarkii</italic>) is vulnerable to predation by several fish species. The European eel (<italic>Anguilla anguilla</italic>) appears to be a very good candidate given its benthic feeding activity and ability to recognise prey by odour.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Our study took place from 2009 to 2013 in a closed system in south‐eastern France in which ponds were sampled twice a year by passive capture methods to evaluate trends in populations of potential prey. Eel population dynamics were assessed by means of a multistate capture–recapture model, and diet assessment was performed using stable isotope analysis in October 2010 and October 2012.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Our results show that the invasive crayfish was the most important prey in the eel diet, and every size‐class of crayfish was preyed upon by the predator.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>A high predator density, approaching carrying capacity for the European eel in this system, strongly affects <italic>P. clarkii</italic> populations, leading them to their collapse, but not eradication.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </abstract>