Population structure and dynamics of Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) in a Mediterranean brackish wetland (Central Italy)

• Published in: Biological invasions Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 1415 - 1425
• Main Authors: Scalici, Massimiliano, Chiesa, Stefania, Scuderi, Stefano, Celauro, Deborah, Gibertini, Giancarlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.05.2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal populations; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brackish water; Cambaridae; Crustaceans; Developmental Biology; Ecology; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Habitats; Life history; Life Sciences; Nonnative species; Original Paper; Plant Sciences; Population structure; Procambarus clarkii; Wetlands; Mediterranean Sea; MED, Italy; Life history pattern; Cambaridae; Red swamp crayfish; Coastal habitat
• ISSN: 1387-3547; 1573-1464
• DOI: 10.1007/s10530-009-9557-6

In 2006 an unusual find of Procambarus clarkii , today considered one of the most dangerous exotic crayfish, was made within the preserved brackish Mediterranean biotope “Palude di Torre Flavia” (Rome, Italy). Here the investigation on the population structure and dynamics of P. clarkii inhabiting this brackish wetland is presented in an attempt to describe the life history pattern in this type of habitat. The present study showed that this species has a lower growth rate and higher longevity than other studied European P. clarkii populations, and that it can damage brackish habitats and human livelihoods. The main results of this study chiefly concern the differences found between several life-history parameters of the studied population and those obtained in previous studies. These results showed the high ecological plasticity of P. clarkii , indicate the need to intervene before the species spreads further in brackish water, for the conservation of Mediterranean coastal habitats.