Conservation strategy for the endangered crayfish species of the family Astacidae: the ESHIPPO crayfish model

Abstract

© 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. A conservation strategy for crayfish from the Astacidae family was developed for the populations inhabiting the aquatic ecosystems of the Central Balkans (territories of Serbia and Montenegro). The strategy, based upon the ESHIPPO crayfish model, uses the Ecological Specialization of taxa, the factors endangering the biodiversity (HIPPO: Habitat alteration, Invasive species, Pollution, Population growth, Overexploitation) and the Index of the Local Adaptive Population of Crayfish (ILAP) (genetic, morphological and structural characteristics of the local population). The crayfish populations with the highest values in model have the highest conservation priority and represent primary Elemental Conservation Units (ECUp). The results indicate that genetic factors play an important role in the final assessment of the value of conservation priorities in 25% of cases. The results obtained by the model indicate that in the area of the Central Balkans, the populations of Astacus astacus and Austropotamobius italicus meridionalis have a greater risk of extinction and a higher conservation priority than Austropotamobius torrentium. The new structure of the model enables a more precise estimation of the local extinction risk, and it provides the choice of the most rational conservation measures, therefore, having both ecological and economic importance on national and/or regional level.