Distinguished Doctoral Fellow & Ph.D. Candidate
AR Co-op Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Arkansas
Current Research
Influences of disturbance on growth and survival of Faxonius marchandi, an Ozark-endemic imperiled crayfish
Invasion by other crayfish species is the primary driver of crayfish imperilment, and abiotic disturbances like stream drying can amplify invasion effects. I employed stream mesocosms to explore how invasion of the Gap Ringed Crayfish, Faxonius neglectus chaenodactylus, affects the survival and growth of the native Mammoth Spring Crayfish, Faxonius marchandi, in the presence and absence of stream drying. Additionally, I examined the desiccation tolerance of the native vs. the invasive species using environmental chambers.
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It is essential to understand the effects of drought, invasive species, and their interactions on native crayfish, particularly in the context of a spreading invader and the increased likelihood of intensified drought from future climate change.
Seasonal colonization, extinction, and density dynamics of imperiled Mammoth Spring Crayfish (Faxonius marchandi) populations
Drought events can be expected to increase in frequency and severity in the future, but knowledge is limited on how these events will affect crayfish persistence. Understanding current population dynamics gives critical insight into how a species may respond to future environmental changes. We are investigating how seasonal drought and stream permanence influence the colonization, extinction, and density dynamics of F. marchandi populations in the Spring River Drainage of Arkansas and Missouri.
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This study demonstrates how an imperiled crayfish species may respond to environmental shifts in the coming years and gives potential implications about its persistence.
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Modeling drought and invasion on extinction risk and population dynamics of two evolutionary significant units of the Mammoth Spring Crayfish, Faxonius marchandi
Understanding extinction risk for populations is important to implement appropriate management and conservation efforts. Despite their high biodiversity and critical role in ecosystems, the conservation of freshwater invertebrates is often overlooked, especially crayfish species. Population viability analyses can be used for risk assessment and the evaluation and prioritization of management decisions. I am using data collected from the above studies to parameterize models and assess the vulnerability of Faxonius marchandi to invasive species and stream drying over the next 100 years.
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