| Abstract |
The broad spectrum pesticide carbaryl is used to control burrowing shrimp (Callianassa californiensis & Upogebia pugettensis) on oyster beds in Willapa Bay and Gray's Harbor Washington.These shrimp can liquify the substrate making it too soft and unstable to support oyster culture.In addition to providing a substantial portion of U.S.oyster production, these estuaries are important nurseries for numerous valuable fisheries.An understanding of the short and long term impacts to the invertebrate food web is essential to developing an Integrated Pest Management Plan for long term shrimp control while maintaining the estuaries other important ecological functions.Epibenthic and benthic invertebrates were sampled, by epibenthic pump and modified van Veen dredge, two days before and two, fourteen, and fifty-one days following aerial application.Results indicate significant short term impacts to arthropods on a species specific basis.Some important salmonid prey species suffer significant decreases immediately following application.Other, closely related species appear very tolerant.Within 51 days most populations recovery to or exceed pre-spray numbers.However, some species did not recover within the period of observation.This information is essential to developing a long term integrated pest management program to control burrowing shrimp with minimal impacts on non-target species. |
Brooks, K.M. (1993) Impacts on benthic invertebrate communities caused by aerial application of carbaryl to control burrowing shrimp in Willapa Bay, WA. 85th Annual Meeting of the National. Shellfisheries Association. 146 pp. 