My thesis

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The Invasion of the Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii): Introductions, Impacts and Management

Biological invasions are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity and conservation of native species, playing a key role in global change. To control them, it is important to understand two types of phenomena: mechanisms that allow a species to successfully establish in a new environment, and the ecological and evolutionary consequences of an invasion. Here, I will address both types of phenomena using a multidisciplinary approach and multi-scale research, employing as study model an invasive species of global importance, which has invaded many inland waters: the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. In my thesis, I have five main objectives: (1) to compare the genetic diversity of invasive populations with the native area, identifying how populations are structured; (2) to determine what mechanisms allow P. clarkii to cope with new conditions or environmental stresses; (3) to explore the ecological effects of P. clarkii in streams, in terms of leaf decomposition rates and macroinvertebrate community; (4) to study the consequences on relation among crayfish, chytridium and amphibians; and (5) to examine how waterbirds might be playing an role as possible vector of crayfish plague, aphanomycosis. In this thesis, I expect to find mechanisms that allow the red swamp crayfish to successfully establish in a new environment and the consequences that this entails for ecosystem and other species.