Burrow Densities of Primary Burrowing Crayfishes in Relation to Prescribed Fire and Mechanical Vegetation Treatments

Fire suppression and other factors have drastically reduced wet prairie and pine savanna ecosystems on the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States. Restoration of these open-canopy environments often targets one or several charismatic species, and semi-aquatic species such as burrowing crayfishes are often overlooked in these essentially terrestrial environments. We examined the relationship between primary burrowing crayfishes and three vegetation treatments implemented over at least the past two decades in the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. Vegetation in the 12 study sites had been frequently burned, frequently mechanically treated, or infrequently managed. Creaserinus spp., primarily C. oryktes, dominated the crayfish assemblage in every site. We counted crayfish burrow openings and coarsely categorized vegetation characteristics in 90, 0.56-m2 quadrats evenly distributed among six transects per site. The number of active burrow openings was negatively, exponentially related to both the percent cover of woody vegetation and the maximum height of woody vegetation in quadrats, and to the number of trees taller than 1.2 m per transect, indicating that woody plant encroachment was detrimental to the crayfishes. Results were consistent with several other studies from the eastern US, indicating that some primary burrowing crayfishes are habitat specialists adapted to open-canopy ecosystems.

Managing Centrarchid Fisheries in Rivers and Streams

<em>Abstract.</em>—Historic reports and museum records describe a distinct spatial distribution pattern and habitat partitioning between Largemouth Bass <em> Micropertus salmoides salmoides </em>and Spotted Bass <em> Micropterus punctulatus</em>. However, beginning in the mid-20th Century, the literature describes more co-occurrences and less species specificity among habitats and distributions. Herein, we conducted a retrospective analysis of recently collected data (2005–2014) to assess: (1) how current distributional patterns of Spotted Bass and Largemouth Bass compare with historic distributions in Louisiana; (2) evidence of species-specific habitat associations based on abundance and habitat data collected; and (3) whether the Florida Largemouth Bass <em> M. salmoides floridanus </em>stocking program has affected Spotted Bass populations in adjacent river systems. Analyses of 68 wadeable streams and rivers indicated that current spatial distributions matched historic descriptions for 6 of 9 major drainages, with evidence still supporting distinct habitat associations for each species. Importantly, Spotted Bass did appear to be negatively influenced by widespread Largemouth Bass stocking. Further, construction of reservoirs across the state and landscape conversion from wet prairie and forest to intensive agriculture may have negatively impacted both species. Overall, habitat alteration and loss was the most widespread explanation for declines in Spotted Bass, with Largemouth Bass stocking of secondary and more localized importance.

The vascular flora and plant communities of Lawther-Deer Park Prairie, Harris County, Texas, U.S.A.

Field studies at the Lawther - Deer Park Prairie Preserve, an area of approximately 21 ha (51 acres) of the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes vegetation area, have resulted in a description of the vegetation associations and an annotated checklist of the vascular flora. Six plant community associations occur on the property: (1) the Upper Texas Coast Ingleside Sandy Wet Prairie; (2) Eastern Gamagrass - Switchgrass - Yellow Indiangrass Herbaceous Vegetation; (3) Gulf Cordgrass Herbaceous Vegetation; (4) Texas Gulf Coast Live Oak - Sugarberry Forest; (5) Little Bluestem - Slender Bluestem - Big Bluestem Herbaceous Vegetation, and (6) Natural Depressional Ponds. The checklist includes 407 species belonging to 247 genera and 86 families. Forty-six species are non-native. The best-represented families (with species number following) are Poaceae (84), Asteraceae (68), Cyperaceae (33), and Fabaceae (19). West Gulf Coastal Plain (eastern Texas and western Louisiana) endemics include Helenium drummondii, Liatris acidota, Oenothera lindheimeri, and Rudbeckia texana. One Texas endemic, Chloris texensis, a Species of Greater Conservation Need, is present. Other noteworthy species are Andropogon capillipes, Digitaria texana, and Platanthera nivea.