Investigating the threat of non-native North American signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) to salmon redds

1. To test their ability to detect and excavate Atlantic salmon eggs (Salmo salar) in an artificial redd, North American signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) were exposed to three successive experimental treatments. 2. Crayfish successfully detected and excavated buried fish but were unable to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
Main Authors: Gladman, Z.F., Adams, C.E., Bean, C.W., Long, J., Yeomans, W.E.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/61597/
https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.1238
Description
Summary:1. To test their ability to detect and excavate Atlantic salmon eggs (Salmo salar) in an artificial redd, North American signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) were exposed to three successive experimental treatments. 2. Crayfish successfully detected and excavated buried fish but were unable to detect buried salmon eggs, despite significant opportunity. 3. The results strongly suggest that signal crayfish do not present a threat to Atlantic salmon via egg predation. In the wild, however, the vulnerability of redds may vary according to a range of biotic and abiotic factors.