The impact of the crayfish Orconectes virilis on aquatic macrophytes

Abstract

SUMMARY. 1. The impact of crayfish on the biomass, density and shoot morphology of four submersed plant species was examined under semi‐natural conditions. Male or female crayfish (Orconectes virilis) were held for 5 weeks at biomasses of 0, 5, 10 or 18 g m−2 (live weight) in twelve plastic pools (4.67 m2, surface area) containing Potamogeton richardsonii, Myriophyllum exalbescens, Nuphar variegatum and Sparganium eurycarpum.2. Crayfish significantly affected biomass, density and/or shoot morphology of all four macrophyte species. Differences in the effect of crayfish on macrophyte growth were related to plant species, crayfish sex and activity, and the abundance of alternative foods.3. The effect of female crayfish on macrophyte growth was generally stimulatory. Myriophyllum and Potamogeton biomass, Potamogeton density and Myriophyllum length increased in the presence of female crayfish, possibly due to the reduction in herbivorous snails as a result of crayfish predation. In contrast, plant growth decreased in the presence of male crayfish: Myriophyllum, Nuphar and Potamogeton biomass, Myriophyllum and Sparganium density, and Sparganium and Poiamogeton length were reduced at male crayfish biomasses between 5 and 18 g m−2.4. These results indicate that even relatively low densities of crayfish can greatly affect the growth of submersed aquatic plants. Because of their ability to modify aquatic macrophyte, macroinvertebrate and, ultimately, fish communities, the introduction of crayfish into lakes where they do not occur could have a major effect on the structure and composition of the littoral zone.