Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar
Abstract Background The marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) is a monoclonal, parthenogenetically reproducing freshwater crayfish species that has formed multiple stable populations worldwide. Madagascar hosts a particularly large and rapidly expanding colony of marbled crayfish in a unique env...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BMC
2019-02-01
|
Series: | BMC Ecology |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-019-0224-1 |
id |
doaj-a04c1a62ac5844469dce7fd1d4aef332 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-a04c1a62ac5844469dce7fd1d4aef3322021-09-02T06:45:47ZengBMCBMC Ecology1472-67852019-02-0119111010.1186/s12898-019-0224-1Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in MadagascarRanja Andriantsoa0Sina Tönges1Jörn Panteleit2Kathrin Theissinger3Vitor Coutinho Carneiro4Jeanne Rasamy5Frank Lyko6Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-LandauInstitute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-LandauDivision of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d’AntananarivoDivision of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)Abstract Background The marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) is a monoclonal, parthenogenetically reproducing freshwater crayfish species that has formed multiple stable populations worldwide. Madagascar hosts a particularly large and rapidly expanding colony of marbled crayfish in a unique environment characterized by a very high degree of ecological diversity. Results Here we provide a detailed characterization of five marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar and their habitats. Our data show that the animals can tolerate a wide range of ecological parameters, consistent with their invasive potential. While we detected marbled crayfish in sympatry with endemic crayfish species, we found no evidence for the transmission of the crayfish plague pathogen, a potentially devastating oomycete. Furthermore, our results also suggest that marbled crayfish are active predators of the freshwater snails that function as intermediate hosts for human schistosomiasis. Finally, we document fishing, farming and market sales of marbled crayfish in Madagascar. Conclusions Our results provide a paradigm for the complex network of factors that promotes the invasive spread of marbled crayfish. The commercial value of the animals is likely to result in further anthropogenic distribution.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-019-0224-1Marbled crayfishMadagascarEcologyHabitat diversityCrayfish plagueFarming |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Ranja Andriantsoa Sina Tönges Jörn Panteleit Kathrin Theissinger Vitor Coutinho Carneiro Jeanne Rasamy Frank Lyko |
spellingShingle |
Ranja Andriantsoa Sina Tönges Jörn Panteleit Kathrin Theissinger Vitor Coutinho Carneiro Jeanne Rasamy Frank Lyko Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar BMC Ecology Marbled crayfish Madagascar Ecology Habitat diversity Crayfish plague Farming |
author_facet |
Ranja Andriantsoa Sina Tönges Jörn Panteleit Kathrin Theissinger Vitor Coutinho Carneiro Jeanne Rasamy Frank Lyko |
author_sort |
Ranja Andriantsoa |
title |
Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar |
title_short |
Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar |
title_full |
Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar |
title_fullStr |
Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar |
title_sort |
ecological plasticity and commercial impact of invasive marbled crayfish populations in madagascar |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Ecology |
issn |
1472-6785 |
publishDate |
2019-02-01 |
description |
Abstract Background The marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) is a monoclonal, parthenogenetically reproducing freshwater crayfish species that has formed multiple stable populations worldwide. Madagascar hosts a particularly large and rapidly expanding colony of marbled crayfish in a unique environment characterized by a very high degree of ecological diversity. Results Here we provide a detailed characterization of five marbled crayfish populations in Madagascar and their habitats. Our data show that the animals can tolerate a wide range of ecological parameters, consistent with their invasive potential. While we detected marbled crayfish in sympatry with endemic crayfish species, we found no evidence for the transmission of the crayfish plague pathogen, a potentially devastating oomycete. Furthermore, our results also suggest that marbled crayfish are active predators of the freshwater snails that function as intermediate hosts for human schistosomiasis. Finally, we document fishing, farming and market sales of marbled crayfish in Madagascar. Conclusions Our results provide a paradigm for the complex network of factors that promotes the invasive spread of marbled crayfish. The commercial value of the animals is likely to result in further anthropogenic distribution. |
topic |
Marbled crayfish Madagascar Ecology Habitat diversity Crayfish plague Farming |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-019-0224-1 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT ranjaandriantsoa ecologicalplasticityandcommercialimpactofinvasivemarbledcrayfishpopulationsinmadagascar AT sinatonges ecologicalplasticityandcommercialimpactofinvasivemarbledcrayfishpopulationsinmadagascar AT jornpanteleit ecologicalplasticityandcommercialimpactofinvasivemarbledcrayfishpopulationsinmadagascar AT kathrintheissinger ecologicalplasticityandcommercialimpactofinvasivemarbledcrayfishpopulationsinmadagascar AT vitorcoutinhocarneiro ecologicalplasticityandcommercialimpactofinvasivemarbledcrayfishpopulationsinmadagascar AT jeannerasamy ecologicalplasticityandcommercialimpactofinvasivemarbledcrayfishpopulationsinmadagascar AT franklyko ecologicalplasticityandcommercialimpactofinvasivemarbledcrayfishpopulationsinmadagascar |
_version_ |
1721178877898784768 |