Distribution, phylogenetics and habitat associations of a burrowing crayfish species complex in Illinois
Carlson, Molly C.
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/122162
Description
Title
Distribution, phylogenetics and habitat associations of a burrowing crayfish species complex in Illinois
Author(s)
Carlson, Molly C.
Issue Date
2023-12-05
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Taylor, Christoper A
Committee Member(s)
Matthews, Jeffrey
Suski, Cory
Swedberg, Dusty A
Department of Study
Natural Res & Env Sci
Discipline
Natural Res & Env Sciences
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
Distribution
Phylogenetics
Crayfish
Habitat Associations
Abstract
With anthropogenic changes altering the environment and the subsequent decline of natural habitats for freshwater species, it is imperative that researchers have accurate species-level data on a local and range-wide scale. Freshwater crayfish are some of the most imperiled taxa, and data about these species are deficient. Many burrowing crayfish species have limited life history or distribution data and others go undescribed. This limits researchers’ ability to generate effective conservation plans for these species. Much of this species-level data can be gathered through a combination of field surveys, distribution data collection, phylogenetic and habitat association analysis. In this pursuit, I aimed to document the Devil Complex species in Illinois, their state-wide range and habitat associations that drive species abundance. I conducted state-wide field collections, then tentatively identified, and tissued each specimen collected. I photographed each specimen’s color pattern and generated a phylogenetic hypothesis tree using maximum likelihood analysis. The results of my phylogenetic hypothesis tree suggest at least four species occur in Illinois, with one potentially undescribed species and hybridization within the central and southern parts of the state. This confirms previous range hypothesis and the importance of a multi-method approach to understand the conservation needs of species. I evaluated the fine-scale habitat characteristics that influence the presence and abundance of a Devil Complex species at a large, restored-remnant grassland preserve in north-central Illinois. I documented burrow abundance and quadrat-specific habitat variables such as root biomass, canopy cover, apparent seasonal high-water table (ASHWT) depth and dominant vegetation at sites with and without burrowing crayfish populations. Data were recorded at every quadrat and analyzed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs). I found that the ASHWT depth was a significant driver of burrow presence and abundance. While root biomass and vegetation cover were not significant drivers, they did show up in the final models, explaining the data. These findings demonstrate empirical support for previous observations from other burrowing crayfish research and illustrate the influence of fine-scale habitat when modeling elusive taxa requirements.
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