Occupancy, activity, and relationships to watershed factors in predicting burrow fidelity in the digger crayfish Fallicambarus fodiens (Cottle, 1863)

Abstract

An intensive single season pilot study was conducted with the digger crayfish, Fallicambarus fodiens (Cottle, 1863) to evaluate relationships between burrow and wetland attributes. Factor Analysis identified significant factors correlated with burrow placement, individual presence, type and frequency of activity. Factor 1 explained 36.89% of the variance associated with hydric type, percent soil moisture, fine substrate grain sizes, and habitat condition, while factor 2 explained 14.78% of the variance based on large grain particle sizes. A significant difference was observed in crayfish inhabitant activity with trap status, burrow state, and presence of activity. Four specific types of activities were related to distance to above groundwater including the trap being pulled into the burrow, the burying of the trap into a burrow cap, a capped burrow established beneath the trap, and relationship with standing water. Based on 12.5% individual recapture, 100% were present in the original burrow of capture.