Meeting Abstract
Neostrengeria macropa is a freshwater crab native to the Bogotá plain of Colombia South America. This brachyuran crab is consumed as a food item and is found in markets across Bogotá and could become an at-risk species due to indiscriminate fishing. Large industry such as salt and oil mining have the potential to affect salinity of freshwater systems in their native range. Behavior experiments with a two-chambered tank with one side freshwater and the opposite side with an increasing salinity from 0 psu to 15 psu. Preliminary data shows that as salinity increases the amount of time spent burrowing decreases while the amount of time out of water increases. Increasing salinity in freshwater systems could be linked to both natural and industrial causes. Industry impact will be mapped based on locations and type of industry and compared with the native range of N. macropa in Colombia. Management of industrial effects on ecological systems may need to be implemented to reduce effects of salinization of ground water and river systems due to anthropogenic factors.
