Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern Australia
Cherax quadricarinatus has been widely translocated within Australia, and a number of self-sustaining feral populations have established, and persisted, in central-eastern Australia for over 20 years: however, the biology and ecology of feral populations remain poorly understood. Using the loss-by-i...
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PeerJ Inc.
2019-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/6351.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797424933191548928 |
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| author | Leyton J. Tierney Clyde H. Wild James M. Furse |
| author_facet | Leyton J. Tierney Clyde H. Wild James M. Furse |
| author_sort | Leyton J. Tierney |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cherax quadricarinatus has been widely translocated within Australia, and a number of self-sustaining feral populations have established, and persisted, in central-eastern Australia for over 20 years: however, the biology and ecology of feral populations remain poorly understood. Using the loss-by-ignition method, this study investigated differences in the total content of incombustible material (as a proxy for total mineral content), between feral C. quadricarinatus populations in southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. A total of 102 C. quadricarinatus were ignited, and percent total incombustible material was not proportional to the body size, or gender of the crayfish. Incombustible content was however, significantly different between some locations of capture (i.e., waterbodies). The site where incombustible content in crayfish was atypical, Lake Ainsworth, is a naturally acidic coastal lake, and we suggest that acidity and low concentration of calcium in that waterbody are likely responsible for the difference in mineral content detected in that population. Mechanism(s) driving the difference detected in the Lake Ainsworth population are unknown, but we suggest the acidic environment could directly impact maintenance of internal calcium reserves in the crayfish (intermoult), during recalcification of the cuticle (postmoult), or both. Limited calcium availability in the lake may also be a direct, or indirect, contributing factor. The ability of C. quadricarinatus to occupy acidic habitats while managing biomineralization challenges possibly could enable additional range-expansion of the species, and potential impacts on both endangered ecological communities and other biota occupying the acidic coastal habitats of Eastern Australia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:08:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9af74e66b8094ec8a418ff668512825d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:08:48Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-9af74e66b8094ec8a418ff668512825d2023-12-02T23:36:08ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592019-02-017e635110.7717/peerj.6351Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern AustraliaLeyton J. Tierney0Clyde H. Wild1James M. Furse2Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, AustraliaEnvironmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, AustraliaGriffith Centre for Coastal Management, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, AustraliaCherax quadricarinatus has been widely translocated within Australia, and a number of self-sustaining feral populations have established, and persisted, in central-eastern Australia for over 20 years: however, the biology and ecology of feral populations remain poorly understood. Using the loss-by-ignition method, this study investigated differences in the total content of incombustible material (as a proxy for total mineral content), between feral C. quadricarinatus populations in southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. A total of 102 C. quadricarinatus were ignited, and percent total incombustible material was not proportional to the body size, or gender of the crayfish. Incombustible content was however, significantly different between some locations of capture (i.e., waterbodies). The site where incombustible content in crayfish was atypical, Lake Ainsworth, is a naturally acidic coastal lake, and we suggest that acidity and low concentration of calcium in that waterbody are likely responsible for the difference in mineral content detected in that population. Mechanism(s) driving the difference detected in the Lake Ainsworth population are unknown, but we suggest the acidic environment could directly impact maintenance of internal calcium reserves in the crayfish (intermoult), during recalcification of the cuticle (postmoult), or both. Limited calcium availability in the lake may also be a direct, or indirect, contributing factor. The ability of C. quadricarinatus to occupy acidic habitats while managing biomineralization challenges possibly could enable additional range-expansion of the species, and potential impacts on both endangered ecological communities and other biota occupying the acidic coastal habitats of Eastern Australia.https://peerj.com/articles/6351.pdfCherax quadricarinatusFreshwater crayfishInvasion-pathwayAcidic habitatsMelaleucaParastacidae |
| spellingShingle | Leyton J. Tierney Clyde H. Wild James M. Furse Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern Australia PeerJ Cherax quadricarinatus Freshwater crayfish Invasion-pathway Acidic habitats Melaleuca Parastacidae |
| title | Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern Australia |
| title_full | Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern Australia |
| title_fullStr | Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern Australia |
| title_short | Total incombustible (mineral) content of Cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in Central-Eastern Australia |
| title_sort | total incombustible mineral content of cherax quadricarinatus differs between feral populations in central eastern australia |
| topic | Cherax quadricarinatus Freshwater crayfish Invasion-pathway Acidic habitats Melaleuca Parastacidae |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/6351.pdf |
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