Abstract
Marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) is an example of a freshwater invader spreading
across Europe, and understanding its establishment and distribution is crucial. This study
aimed to assess the role of temperature in the invasion of marbled crayfish in the artificially
warm outflow channel of a power plant in Estonia. It was hypothesized that warmer water
temperature and the temperature gradient along the channel would impact crayfish
establishment, distribution, and trophic niche. Temperature loggers recorded a gradient,
revealing that the channel was significantly warmer than the reservoir, providing a suitable
habitat for crayfish. Stable isotope analyses showed spatial and seasonal trophic niche
shifts. The crayfish diet at the channel head mainly consisted of macroinvertebrates and
macrophytes, while the mouth had a diet dominated by periphyton. Additionally, the
crayfish shifted from consuming primary consumers in spring to primary producers in
autumn. Temperature played a crucial role in crayfish establishment, but other factors like
food source availability likely influenced population distribution. Overall, this research
sheds light on the importance of temperature and ecological aspects in the invasion
dynamics of marbled crayfish.
Keywords: stable isotopes • trophic niche • invasive species • population dynamic •
temperature effect
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