Presentation Type

Poster

Keywords

Procambarus clarkii, invasive species, intraspecific aggression

Department

Biology

Major

Biology

Abstract

Climate change affects habitat globally, facilitating the expansion and rapid proliferation of invasive species which damage the newly invaded ecosystem. Intraspecific aggression among an invasive species is an important focus in ecological studies because it can contribute to their overall success as invaders. The crayfish species, Procambarus clarkii, inhabits freshwater streams in the Santa Monica Mountains (Los Angeles, CA) as an aggressive invasive predator. These invasive crayfish are well known for their highly aggressive interactions with conspecifics. It has been shown that body size, temperature, sex, and level of hunger influence their levels of aggression. However, there is a lack of research that investigates how population demography affects agonistic interactions between crayfish. In previous studies we have found that crayfish interact more aggressively towards conspecifics of different stream locales when housed separately in their respective communities. In this study, we further investigated if crayfish are able to distinguish conspecifics of different stream locales through randomizing communal arrangements. We found that crayfish trapped from Medea creek engaged in more aggressive interactions than crayfish from Malibu Golf Course. Moreover, we found that crayfish of different housing communities, regardless of site origin, interacted more aggressively than crayfish of the same housing community. This study highlights the impact that site origin, as well as recent interaction, has on intraspecific crayfish aggression, which ultimately may influence their success as an invasive species.

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Lee B. Kats

Funding Source or Research Program

Not Identified

Location

Waves Cafeteria

Start Date

29-3-2019 2:00 PM

End Date

29-3-2019 3:00 PM

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Mar 29th, 2:00 PM Mar 29th, 3:00 PM

Effect of locality recognition on aggressive behavior in the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii

Waves Cafeteria

Climate change affects habitat globally, facilitating the expansion and rapid proliferation of invasive species which damage the newly invaded ecosystem. Intraspecific aggression among an invasive species is an important focus in ecological studies because it can contribute to their overall success as invaders. The crayfish species, Procambarus clarkii, inhabits freshwater streams in the Santa Monica Mountains (Los Angeles, CA) as an aggressive invasive predator. These invasive crayfish are well known for their highly aggressive interactions with conspecifics. It has been shown that body size, temperature, sex, and level of hunger influence their levels of aggression. However, there is a lack of research that investigates how population demography affects agonistic interactions between crayfish. In previous studies we have found that crayfish interact more aggressively towards conspecifics of different stream locales when housed separately in their respective communities. In this study, we further investigated if crayfish are able to distinguish conspecifics of different stream locales through randomizing communal arrangements. We found that crayfish trapped from Medea creek engaged in more aggressive interactions than crayfish from Malibu Golf Course. Moreover, we found that crayfish of different housing communities, regardless of site origin, interacted more aggressively than crayfish of the same housing community. This study highlights the impact that site origin, as well as recent interaction, has on intraspecific crayfish aggression, which ultimately may influence their success as an invasive species.