Response of burrowing crayfish species to land management practices in Missouri, U.S.A.

Six species of burrowing crayfish have established ranges in Missouri with five of these being designated Species of Conservation Concern. Although wetlands and prairie ecosystems that support crayfish populations undergo many forms of land management, the impacts of these practices on burrowing species have rarely been evaluated. These studies evaluated the responses of burrowing crayfish populations to some of the most common practices including mowing and disking in moist-soil wetlands and burning in prairies, at publicly managed properties in Missouri. Our results demonstrated that crayfish were tolerant of mechanical vegetation management, responding more to vegetation composition and broader landscape effects. Crayfish response to prescribed burning will also be discussed in this presentation. With three more burrowing species recently recognized as occurring in Missouri and undergoing conservation assessment, it is of critical importance that we understand how to properly manage and conserve these populations. Here we will discuss how we can integrate conservation support for burrowing crayfish with current management strategies for other taxa and public lands.