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Detection and variation of the crayfish plague pathogen in selected crayfish populations
Mojžišová, Michaela ; Petrusek, Adam (advisor) ; Buřič, Miloš (referee)
Crayfish plague is an emerging disease caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, a pathogen listed among the 100 World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. It was introduced into Europe in the second half of 19th century from North America and caused collapses of European native crayfish populations. Nowadays, A. astaci is widespread in Europe and has spread also to other parts of the world, threatening all susceptible crayfish of non-North American origin. The aims of this MSc thesis were 1) to provide information about crayfish plague outbreaks from recent years, and by using microsatellite and mtDNA markers reveal A. astaci genotypes involved; 2) to test healthy-looking indigenous crayfish for potential occurrence of chronic infections by A. astaci in Czechia. Six new crayfish plague outbreaks were confirmed from 2016 to 2018, involving at least five distinct pathogen strains. My results provide first evidence of the A. astaci genotype group D causing Astacus astacus and Austropotamobius torrentium mass mortalities in Czechia. MtDNA sequencing revealed two haplotypes of the D haplogroup, indicating two independent sources of infection presumably either from ornamental crayfish or spreading from neighbouring countries. The genotype group A was recorded in two A. astacus mortalities and genotype group...
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Seasonal variation of activity and pathogen prevalence in populations of the spiny-cheek crayfish
Matasová, Klára ; Petrusek, Adam (advisor) ; Slavík, Ondřej (referee)
The most widespread of invasive crayfish in the Czech Republic is the spiny-cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus). It is a major disease carrier of crayfish plague, caused by the pathogen Aphanomyces astaci. The infection is lethal to European native species of crayfish. Transmission of this disease is usually associated with the spread of crayfish, which is dependent on their movement. The main aim of this work was to evaluate the differences in crayfish migratory activity in the Pšovka brook among seasons, and assess the factors that may affect it, by the use of radiotelemetry and trapping. We tested the hypothesis that crayfish use brook in the period from spring to autumn and then return back into a pond to overwinter. Furthermore, we evaluated how far from the pond crayfish migrate, and whether there is any relationship between migration and the season or water temperature. The results demonstrate that the activity varies among seasons (being strongly affected by breeding season) but in most studied periods did not significantly depend on water temperature. According to our monitoring, the spiny-cheek crayfish does not spread substantially to upstream parts of the Pšovka. Seasonal migration between the pond and the brook was monitored using two-way flow-through traps installed at the mouth of...
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Distribution and Ecology of the Stone Crayfish and Noble Crayfish in the Drainage Area of the Zákolanský stream
Kubínyiová, Eva ; Mourek, Jan (advisor) ; Hanel, Lubomír (referee)
This thesis is composed of two parts - research part, focused on field research of occurence and abundance of the Stone Crayfish and the Noble Crayfish in the basin of Zákolanský stream, and a pedagogical part, project Crayfish in the Czech Republic and their protection, aimed for grammar school students. The literature outline summarizes contemporary knowledge about all five species of crayfish in the Czech Republic. Our native species are the Stone Crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium) and Noble Crayfish (Astacus astacus). The non-native are Narrow-clawed Crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus), Spiny-cheek Crayfish (Orconectes limosus) and Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). Aside from the chapters concerning the particular species and their determination, the literature outline also contains general information about the life and endangerment of crayfish. I have conducted the field research from April to September 2009. I also noted and evaluated the environmental conditions of the crayfish habitats. Based on the adjusted AOPK ČR methodology, I selected eight 100-meter long brook-sections of the Europe-important locality of Zákolanský stream, with the previously confirmed occurrence of crayfish. From the eight sections, I found crayfish only in three. All the captured specimens were of the...
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Hosts and transmission of the crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci
Svoboda, Jiří
The crayfish plague pathogen, the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, has been decimating populations of European crayfish species for more than 150 years, and is therefore considered one of the 100 worst world's invasive species. A. astaci is highly specialised for a parasitic life, but it can be isolated from moribund crayfish and grown on synthetic media, as it is the case also for several other oomycetes (chapter 7). The life of A. astaci includes three basic forms: mycelium in host's tissues, and the infective units occurring in water, zoospores and cysts. All North American crayfish species tested so far have shown some resistance to A. astaci, i.e., they could carry the infection for long, serving as vectors of the pathogen. Massive sporulation from infected North American crayfish starts when the host is moulting, stressed, or dying (chapter 4). However, I could show in my experiments that some sporulation occurs even from apparently healthy and non-moulting American crayfish hosting A. astaci, so infected North American crayfish must be considered a permanent source of the infection (chapter 4). Five genotype groups of A. astaci have already been distinguished. Strains from a particular genotype group probably share the same original host crayfish species of North American origin. Nevertheless, they can...
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Detection and variation of the crayfish plague pathogen in selected crayfish populations
Mojžišová, Michaela ; Petrusek, Adam (advisor) ; Buřič, Miloš (referee)
Crayfish plague is an emerging disease caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, a pathogen listed among the 100 World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. It was introduced into Europe in the second half of 19th century from North America and caused collapses of European native crayfish populations. Nowadays, A. astaci is widespread in Europe and has spread also to other parts of the world, threatening all susceptible crayfish of non-North American origin. The aims of this MSc thesis were 1) to provide information about crayfish plague outbreaks from recent years, and by using microsatellite and mtDNA markers reveal A. astaci genotypes involved; 2) to test healthy-looking indigenous crayfish for potential occurrence of chronic infections by A. astaci in Czechia. Six new crayfish plague outbreaks were confirmed from 2016 to 2018, involving at least five distinct pathogen strains. My results provide first evidence of the A. astaci genotype group D causing Astacus astacus and Austropotamobius torrentium mass mortalities in Czechia. MtDNA sequencing revealed two haplotypes of the D haplogroup, indicating two independent sources of infection presumably either from ornamental crayfish or spreading from neighbouring countries. The genotype group A was recorded in two A. astacus mortalities and genotype group...
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Rak mexický {Cambarellus patzcuarensis} - přehledová studie
TOMAN, Jan
Indigenous crayfish are increasingly threatened by their non-indigenous counterparts, which species are often more tolerant and adaptable. In case of North American species, they are also chronic carries of crayfish plague, a disease mostly lethal to crayfish of non-North American origin. In this bachelor thesis entitled "Mexican dwarf crayfish (Cambarellus patzcuarensis) - an overview", there is a summary containing available information about the Mexican dwarf crayfish, while main, so far unknown biological features of this species, are defined. Nowadays, this crayfish is one of the most bred and sold crayfish within the pet trade. However, its introductions can lead to unwanted alterations in newly occupied ecosystems. This overview of the available information on the Mexican dwarf crayfish and the definition of so far insufficiently known aspects of its biology can serve as a valuable basis for follow-up studies.
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The crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci in its introduced ranges: vectors, introduction pathways, genetic variation and host-pathogen interactions
Mrugała, Agata ; Petrusek, Adam (advisor) ; Füreder, Leopold (referee) ; Vralstad, Trude (referee)
- ABSTRACT - The crayfish plague pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, is responsible for substantial declines and local extinctions of native European crayfish populations. As a consequence, the pathogen is now listed among 100 world's worst invasive alien species. The spread of A. astaci is greatly facilitated by its natural hosts, North American crayfish, that thanks to a long co-evolutionary history with the crayfish plague pathogen evolved efficient defence mechanisms. In contrast, European, Australian and Asian crayfish species are highly susceptible to this disease agent. However, progress of A. astaci infection in native European crayfish was observed to differ between distinct pathogen strains, indicating variability in their virulence. Indeed, we demonstrated a relationship between patterns in crayfish immune response and A. astaci virulence in an experimental infection involving the European noble crayfish and three differently virulent crayfish plague strains. The European continent is currently inhabited by at least eight North American crayfish species. The carrier status was confirmed in six of them, including also Orconectes cf. virilis occurring in the Netherlands and the UK. In this country, we detected Aphanomyces astaci presence in some populations of the non-indigenous crayfish species as well...
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Hosts and transmission of the crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci
Svoboda, Jiří
The crayfish plague pathogen, the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, has been decimating populations of European crayfish species for more than 150 years, and is therefore considered one of the 100 worst world's invasive species. A. astaci is highly specialised for a parasitic life, but it can be isolated from moribund crayfish and grown on synthetic media, as it is the case also for several other oomycetes (chapter 7). The life of A. astaci includes three basic forms: mycelium in host's tissues, and the infective units occurring in water, zoospores and cysts. All North American crayfish species tested so far have shown some resistance to A. astaci, i.e., they could carry the infection for long, serving as vectors of the pathogen. Massive sporulation from infected North American crayfish starts when the host is moulting, stressed, or dying (chapter 4). However, I could show in my experiments that some sporulation occurs even from apparently healthy and non-moulting American crayfish hosting A. astaci, so infected North American crayfish must be considered a permanent source of the infection (chapter 4). Five genotype groups of A. astaci have already been distinguished. Strains from a particular genotype group probably share the same original host crayfish species of North American origin. Nevertheless, they can...
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Seasonal variation of activity and pathogen prevalence in populations of the spiny-cheek crayfish
Matasová, Klára ; Petrusek, Adam (advisor) ; Slavík, Ondřej (referee)
The most widespread of invasive crayfish in the Czech Republic is the spiny-cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus). It is a major disease carrier of crayfish plague, caused by the pathogen Aphanomyces astaci. The infection is lethal to European native species of crayfish. Transmission of this disease is usually associated with the spread of crayfish, which is dependent on their movement. The main aim of this work was to evaluate the differences in crayfish migratory activity in the Pšovka brook among seasons, and assess the factors that may affect it, by the use of radiotelemetry and trapping. We tested the hypothesis that crayfish use brook in the period from spring to autumn and then return back into a pond to overwinter. Furthermore, we evaluated how far from the pond crayfish migrate, and whether there is any relationship between migration and the season or water temperature. The results demonstrate that the activity varies among seasons (being strongly affected by breeding season) but in most studied periods did not significantly depend on water temperature. According to our monitoring, the spiny-cheek crayfish does not spread substantially to upstream parts of the Pšovka. Seasonal migration between the pond and the brook was monitored using two-way flow-through traps installed at the mouth of...
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Genetic variation in North American crayfish species introduced to Europe and the prevalence of the crayfish plague pathogen in their populations
Filipová, Lenka ; Petrusek, Adam (advisor) ; Diéguez-Uribeondo, Javier (referee) ; Trontejl, Peter (referee)
- ABSTRACT (IN ENGLISH) - Biological invasions by crustaceans represent a serious threat for native species in Europe. In my thesis I focus on non-indigenous freshwater crayfish introduced to Europe and their parasite Aphanomyces astaci, the pathogen of the crayfish plague. The thesis consists of four already published first-author papers (chapters I, II, IV and V), two first-author manuscripts (chapters III and VI), and one paper which I co-authored (chapter VII). The first part (chapters I-V) focuses on genetic variation in North American crayfish introduced to Europe. We showed that in two crayfish species, both successful invaders in Europe, genetic variation differs significantly, reflecting their different colonization histories on the continent. The spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus was likely introduced to Europe just once, in small numbers (90 individuals). Variation at the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) level in the spiny-cheek crayfish in Europe is much lower compared to North America (chapter I), although some variation was revealed by nuclear markers in its Central European populations (chapter II). In contrast, the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus was introduced to Europe several times, in large numbers. Its European populations are highly diverse genetically and belong to a single...
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