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Examination of the relationship between groundwater levels and the Everglades crayfish, Procambarus alleni

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Date Issued:
2001
Summary:
Florida wetlands are subject to alteration of ecological function by draining, dredging, filling, and hydrologic modification. Unlike other sources, detecting an ecological response to hydrologic alterations can be subtle and difficult to quantify. To develop wetland hydrologic protection criteria, a hydrologically sensitive indicator species was needed. Everglades crayfish (Procambarus alleni), a trophically critical element of southern Florida wetlands, were evaluated as a potential indicator species. P. alleni excavates temporary burrows to survive Florida's dry season. Burrow lengths were measured through a dry season. Regression analysis was used to determine if burrow depths changed as water levels changed. The relationship was significant (p < .0002, R = -0.93, R2 = 0.86). P. alleni's burrowing provides a direct measurement of biotic response to hydrologic fluctuations. This response will be used to detect the survival threshold of crayfish to hydrologic alteration. Extrapolating this threshold will assist in providing an index of ecosystem response to hydrologic alterations.
Title: Examination of the relationship between groundwater levels and the Everglades crayfish, Procambarus alleni.
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Name(s): Huffman, April E.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree Grantor
Fragoso, Jose M. V., Thesis Advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2001
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 43 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Florida wetlands are subject to alteration of ecological function by draining, dredging, filling, and hydrologic modification. Unlike other sources, detecting an ecological response to hydrologic alterations can be subtle and difficult to quantify. To develop wetland hydrologic protection criteria, a hydrologically sensitive indicator species was needed. Everglades crayfish (Procambarus alleni), a trophically critical element of southern Florida wetlands, were evaluated as a potential indicator species. P. alleni excavates temporary burrows to survive Florida's dry season. Burrow lengths were measured through a dry season. Regression analysis was used to determine if burrow depths changed as water levels changed. The relationship was significant (p < .0002, R = -0.93, R2 = 0.86). P. alleni's burrowing provides a direct measurement of biotic response to hydrologic fluctuations. This response will be used to detect the survival threshold of crayfish to hydrologic alteration. Extrapolating this threshold will assist in providing an index of ecosystem response to hydrologic alterations.
Identifier: 9780493121734 (isbn), 12766 (digitool), FADT12766 (IID), fau:9644 (fedora)
Note(s): Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2001.
Subject(s): Crayfish--Effect of water levels on--Florida--Everglades
Hydrologic cycle--Florida--Everglades
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12766
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.