Worldwide, invasive species are a primary threat to
biodiversity and local economies. Nearly half of all endangered and threatened
species are in competition with invasive species. Orconectes virilis, a
species of crayfish naturally found within the central United States, has been
introduced throughout the country as live bait. By displacing indigenous
crayfish species, O. virilis reduces fish population densities, quality
of aquatic habitats, and increases risks of local extirpation of other native
fauna. Approaches to management are either reactive in nature or
cost prohibitive. The most effective method of control remains education to
prevent further territory expansion from occurring. To be effective, these
efforts to restrict population movement must be coordinated across state
boundaries and strictly enforced. In order to better coordinate these programs
and target limited resources effectively, our research focuses on using
ecological niche models to identify vulnerable locations to introduction of O.
virilis. Using the free program MAXENT and publicly available data, the
ecological niche of O. virilis was estimated. We plan to refine this
model to accurately reflect hydrologic features that would naturally restrict
movement. This has not been included in past models for other species. Aquatic species are difficult to track in situ, while
management programs have limited budgets and personnel. By incorporating public
data into this new model, an accurate and testable prediction of O. virilis potential
territory expansion is created. Local management programs can then use
this model to target the most vulnerable areas.
