Mitigation of Hypoxic Ecosystems Using Hemolymph Analysis of <i>Callinectes sapidus</i> and <i>Procambarus clarkii</i> in Relation to <i>Spartina</i> Grasses

Abstract

In the past 80 years, Louisiana has lost over one million acres in land, affecting plants and crustaceans that live in these environments. The first objective of this research was to determine the relationship between diffused oxygen in water and time with the behavioral and physiological health of Callinectes sapidus (blue crab) and Procambarus clarkii (crawfish). After 24 hours, manual dexterity, or the amount of time it takes for a crustacean to flip itself over increased under hypoxic conditions. Hemolymph was extracted and tested for lactate, glucose, and protein. Crawfish were also exposed to this same procedure. An additional crawfish study comparing Spartina plants to assimilate oxygen for aeration compared to mechanical aeration was conducted. The hypoxic groups for all three studies at the 0.05 level had a significantly greater manual dexterity time and greater amounts of lactate and glucose. The protein was significantly higher in hypoxia-exposed crawfish. Time and aeration affect the health of crustaceans, and plants were shown to effectively provide normoxic oxygen levels at a similar level as mechanical aeration. These studies support the importance of marsh grasses for the coast and crustacean viability.