SFS Annual Meeting

6/05/2024  |   13:30 - 13:45   |  Independence Ballroom C

Effects of Specific Wavelengths of Artificial Light at Night on Aquatic-Invertebrate-Community Composition Across the globe, insect populations are declining due to anthropogenic stressors such as artificial light at night (ALAN). Due to the recent adaption of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that peak in shorter wavelengths than conventional lighting types, LEDs are expected to double night sky brightness. Aquatic insects and ecosystems are likely to be affected by ALAN due to many humans settling near freshwater. Research on the effects of LED ALAN on aquatic insects has focused on adult emergent aquatic insects, leaving potential effects on aquatic emergent larvae and other aquatic invertebrates largely unknown. To fill this gap, we conducted a manipulative field experiment that tests the effects of different LED ALAN treatments – 630 nm (red), 530 nm (green), 410 nm (purple/UV), 4000K (neutral white) - as well as a dark control on aquatic invertebrates over the course of four different nights at Waterfowl Pond in Dryden, MI (USA). We evaluated the effects of ALAN on community structure as well as community metrics such as abundance, taxa richness, diversity, and evenness on the community as a whole and separated into non-insect invertebrates and insects. We found that the effects of LED ALAN were taxa-specific, and those taxa that were affected by ALAN were sensitive to shorter wavelength color treatments. Our research suggests that we should minimize short wavelengths in broad-spectrum white LED lighting to decrease the negative impacts of ALAN.

Katrianna Studtmann (Primary Presenter/Author), Oakland University, kstudtmann@oakland.edu;

Scott Tiegs (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oakland University, tiegs@oakland.edu;

Elizabeth Parkinson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Dept. Biological Sciences, Oakland University, emparkinson@oakland.edu;

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6/05/2024  |   13:45 - 14:00   |  Independence Ballroom C

INVESTIGATING DRIVERS OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION IN HEXAGENIA ABUNDANCE IN NORTHERN MAINE LAKES Recent research has documented worrying declines in the abundance of common freshwater species that underlie critical ecosystem processes. For example, reduced abundance of the burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia, as a result of land-use change in the Midwest and Great Lakes has potential to disrupt links between benthic and pelagic systems, nutrient cycling, and trophic transfer in food webs. Anecdotal evidence suggests Hexagenia declines are also occurring in the relatively intact watersheds of the Northeast USA, but little is known about what controls the distribution and abundance of Hexagenia in this region. Our research aims to fill this knowledge gap by conducting field surveys of spatial and temporal variation in Hexagenia abundance while also examining benthic and pelagic habitat properties in northern Maine lakes. Hexagenia abundance was influenced by water depth, sediment type, and the abundance of rooted macrophytes, but these patterns varied with season and larval instars. For example, in spring 2023, larger Hexagenia were located in shallower depths than smaller Hexagenia, whereas the opposite pattern was observed the following fall. We also observed that Hexagenia were largely absent at depths below the thermocline in lakes with summer stratification, but were present throughout the basin for lakes that remained mixed. While ongoing research is investigating the influence of sediment characteristics and oxygen concentrations at sediment-water interface, our initial results suggest changes in lake stratification may have implications for Hexagenia distributions within and among lakes.

Serena Laro (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Maine Orono, serena.laro@maine.edu;

Hamish Grieg (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Maine Orono, hamish.grieg@maine.edu;

Jasmine Saros (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Maine Orono, jasmine.saros@maine.edu;

Robert Northington (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Elizabethtown College, Northingtonr@etown.edu;

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6/05/2024  |   14:00 - 14:15   |  Independence Ballroom C

FROM COLLECTING TO CULTURING: ENLARGING THE ARSENAL OF MACROINVERTEBRATE LABORATORY TEST ORGANISMS Lab-based experiments with macroinvertebrates are indispensable for eco(toxico)logical research. Until now, most of these experiments are performed with field collected animals. As high numbers of individuals are needed for a sound experimental set-up, these studies are often restricted to the species that are easily collectable. Hereby, less prevalent, but possibly more indicative macroinvertebrate species are often excluded from laboratory experiments. Moreover, sometimes a mixture of different life-stages is collected, which hampers the reproducibility of the results. Collecting and transporting macroinvertebrates from the field may also represent a confounding factor, as the test species may not be in optimal physiological condition or does not show natural behaviour. Being able to culture a range of ecologically more relevant and potentially sensitive macroinvertebrate species would be an asset to tackle the above-named challenges. The numbers of cultured species and culture protocols are however limited, and mostly restricted to “easily culturable” species. To lower the threshold for developing new macroinvertebrate culturing protocols, we present a framework to determine which conditions are needed for a successful macroinvertebrate culture, based on assessing functional traits and key lifecycle events. Extensive knowledge of environmental preferences and life history traits that is required for the culturing of macroinvertebrates, will also allow to perform multigenerational experiments, which is important to study long-term effects of sub-lethal concentrations of contaminants on populations of indicative and sensitive macroinvertebrates.

Tom van der Meer (Primary Presenter/Author), Wageningen Environmental Research, tom1.vandermeer@wur.nl;

Michiel Kraak (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, M.H.S.Kraak@uva.nl;

Piet F.M. Verdonschot (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Amsterdam / Wageningen Environmental Research , piet.verdonschot@wur.nl;

Gea van der Lee (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Wageningen Environmental Research, gea.vanderlee@wur.nl;

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6/05/2024  |   14:15 - 14:30   |  Independence Ballroom C

Macroinvertebrate Assemblages of Intermittent Streams in the U.S. Virgin Islands Over the last century the U.S. Virgin Islands has lost all its free-flowing water and is now dominated by intermittent ephemeral streams, locally known as ghuts, that only appear after extreme rain events. In addition to losing its flowing streams from historic land use and global climate change, most freshwater habitats are also dominated by invasive species including Tilapia, Guppies, and Red-eared Sliders. The loss of flowing perennial streams and the overwhelming presence of invasive species represents a significant threat to native freshwater taxa that are essential for maintaining healthy stream ecosystems. Due to the lack of historical data for freshwater taxa across the three islands of the U.S.V.I., it is necessary to create a base line of macroinvertebrate diversity and distribution. This information will be used to prioritize watersheds for conservation management and assist in establishing future biomonitoring programs for the territory. The Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) in the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) in the U.S. Virgin Islands is charged with monitoring, assessing, and implementing activities to enhance and preserve fish and wildlife resources of the Virgin Islands. DFW is currently leading surveys for freshwater macroinvertebrates on the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas in collaboration with the University of the Virgin Islands. The information collected during these surveys will be used to fill data gaps identified in current State Wildlife Action Plans and provide baseline species distributions that will be required to create future biomonitoring programs.

Sean Kelly (Primary Presenter/Author), U.S.V.I. Division of Fish and Wildlife, sean.kelly@dpnr.vi.gov;

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6/05/2024  |   14:30 - 14:45   |  Independence Ballroom C

UNRAVELING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CRAYFISH PLAGUE OUTBREAKS IN MONTANA: A NATIONAL AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE The crayfish plague pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, is endemic to North American crayfish and widespread in many genera, but it is not known whether it causes disease in its native range. Conversely, where introduced, it has caused one of the most severe global wildlife pandemics, decimating native crayfish species in Europe and Asia and threatening other freshwater crayfish worldwide. Although North American crayfish are chronic carriers of the plague, they typically do not show clinical signs of disease or exhibit unusual behaviors when infected; whereas it swiftly causes mortality in other countries where it has been introduced, including near extirpation of native species. During the first statewide crayfish survey in Montana, we discovered crayfish exhibiting unusual lesions in at least 60 sites. Microscopy and DNA sequencing indicated that the lesions were caused by A. astaci. To inform methodology for studying plague in the wild, we tested longevity of tag deployment and consequences for survival, growth, and molting success in diseased vs. control crayfish in a lab experiment. To study patterns in clinical plague signs, we monitored lesion presence and size on the crayfish over 168 days and 2 molts (ongoing). Elastomer subcutaneous tags are likely an effective option for long-term tracking of populations or individuals with disease. Molting crayfish shed visible lesions, at least temporarily. Identifying patterns of crayfish plague has vast ecological and management implications, including for transport of crayfish (live or dead), species interactions, shifts in species composition, and behavior.

Stacy Schmidt (Primary Presenter/Author), Montana State University, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, sschmidt@mt.gov;

Susan Adams (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), USDA Forest Service, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research, Southern Research Station, Susan.adams@usda.gov;

David Schmetterling (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dschmetterling@mt.gov;

Laura Martin-Torrijos (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), 4. Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico CSIC, Madrid, Spain, lmtorrijos@rjb.csic.es;

Javier Diéguez Uribeondo (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), 5. Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico CSIC, Madrid, Spain, dieguez@rjb.csic.es;

Lindsey Albertson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Montana State University , lindsey.albertson@montana.edu;

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6/05/2024  |   14:45 - 15:00   |  Independence Ballroom C

SEASONAL MICROHABITAT USE BY THE BRAWLEYS FORK CRAYFISH, CAMBARUS WILLIAMI, A TENNESSEE ENDEMIC SPECIES PROPOSED FOR FEDERAL LISTING Cambarus williami (Brawleys Fork Crayfish) is endemic to the Stones River and Collins River watersheds in central Tennessee. A state endangered (S1) species, C. williami recently proposed to be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Determination of federal status was facilitated facilitated by evaluations of ecological associations of C. williami across its distributional range. Our aim was to evaluate predictors of seasonal habitat selection and crayfish species assemblages associated with C. williami. Nine 200-m reaches in three streams (East Fork Stones River, Hollis Creek, and Mountain Creek) were sampled in Spring (March 2021) and Fall (September-October 2021) seasons. Microhabitat conditions were measured, and crayfishes collected from six randomized 0.5-m2 quadrat samples per 200-m reach in the Spring and Fall seasons. Cambarus williami was most abundant in riffle mesohabitats, moderately abundant in run mesohabitats, and least abundant in pool mesohabitats, and this pattern remained consistent across two seasons of the year. In both Spring and Fall seasons, there were no detectable differences in microhabitat use between adults and juveniles, or between adult males and adult females. These results suggest that C. williami prefers riffle mesohabitat, although the species also occupies run and pool mesohabitats. Given the level of endemism the species displays, maintenance of quality riffle habitat within its range is likely important to its long-term persistence.

Tanya Khan (Primary Presenter/Author), Tennessee Tech University, tkhan42@tntech.edu;

Hayden Mattingly (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Tennessee Tech University, hmattingly@tntech.edu;

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