AUTHORS: William Ota, Michigan State University; Aaron Sullivan, Michigan State University; Sarah Walker, Michigan State University; Brian Roth, Michigan State University
ABSTRACT: Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) are the planet's most widely distributed invasive crayfish. They are a keystone species that can alter shoreline stability, macroinvertebrate communities, trophic interactions, water quality, and macrophytes in invaded ecosystems. This species became established in Michigan in 2017 within ponds and lakes, initiating an adaptive management plan to monitor, mitigate, and/or eradicate invasive populations. From 2021-2023, we tracked red swamp crayfish using radio telemetry in seven ponds in Southeast Michigan. Crayfish from 32 - 42 mm were tagged and tracked weekly for 5-6 months per individual over 2 years. A total of 235 crayfish were tagged and successfully tracked. Red swamp crayfish home range size was significantly affected by pond size (p
