This thesis provides an overview of case studies investigating the behaviour of freshwater crayfish, including social and reproductive interactions, decision making, and channels for recognition or processing of environmental stimuli. We described relationships between the environment and the organism and relationships among conspecifics and heterospecifics. These aspects are important, given that every decision and interaction has consequences for crayfish survival and reproduction, i.e. individual and even species success. For ethological studies in aquatic ecosystems, crustaceans, and especially crayfish, represent practical model organisms. Crayfish are advantageous over other invertebrates given their high level of social interaction in both the field and the laboratory. They exhibit unique eco- ethological behaviour in variety of feeding habits, activity cycles, habitat selection, and resource utilization at the level of species, sex, and age. Similar to vertebrates, crayfish demonstrate unique behaviours throughout their life. Subsequently, pollution impacts on native crayfish stock can result in ecosystem instability. The different reproductive strategies of females and males demonstrate that females rely on some familiarity of sexual partners as a reliable guarantee for successful mating. Crayfish females are choosier than males because of their higher energy costs for reproduction (oogenesis, incubation, parental care). While male reproduction prioritises securing their genetic information by searching for as many mates as possible. Crayfish mate preferences was analysed by facing the choosing crayfish with two equal sized mature counterparts from the same or different origin. Our conclusions could be applied in conservation research, captive breeding, and recovery programs as well as in aquaculture. The success of biological invaders has been described as the outcome from intra- and interspecific interactions. The marbled crayfish, known as parthenogenetic species with high adaptability, fast growth, early maturation, and high fecundity, established dominant status in more cases by interspecific combat victories. Fight intensity and aggressiveness decreased after dominance was established in particular pairs. Marbled crayfish seem to have an ability to conserve energy by increasing activity only at times of danger. Based on known species-specific abilities, the marbled crayfish is capable of outcompeting aggressive species, such as the red swamp crayfish. This parthenogenetic species poses a substantial threat to native ecosystems and biodiversity of aquatic environments, since it can establish not only in crayfish free habitats, but is also capable of outcompeting resident species. Recently, dilute concentrations of contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, daily-care products and pesticides have been reported to indirectly affect aquatic organisms. We found that selected pharmaceuticals can alter the behavioural patterns of crayfish, event at the very low concentration. The risks associated with surface water pollutants stresses the importance of research investigating their ecological impacts and their different/specific mechanisms of action. Prolonged exposure to the low concentrations of two pesticides exhibited changes in crayfish behavioural patterns. Various alterations in locomotion were observed after treatment in pesticide-free water. In the wild, decreased movement and activity can be a challenge for crayfish survival because of predation, even foraging to compensate for energy loss could be very difficult for less active individuals. This study suggests that crayfish behaviour assessment is a practical approach not only for investigating basic biology, or intra- and inter-specific interactions, but also for assessing the risks associated with micro-pollutants.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nusl.cz/oai:invenio.nusl.cz:403679 |
| Date | January 2019 |
| Creators | KUBEC, Jan |
| Source Sets | Czech ETDs |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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