The Caney Mountain Cave Crayfish occurs in only one cave system in the world. Given its rarity, understanding aspects of its environment are important to protect the population from human-induced changes that may be detrimental. This project, led by an undergraduate student, is a collaboration between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the USGS Missouri Coop Unit and seeks to quantify aspects of the physical and chemical habitat in the cave. We are using monthly site visits and deployed sensors to monitor water depth, temperature, and various other parameters for a one-year period. Information gained from this project will provide a baseline of conditions for which managers can compare future conditions and may provide recommended target levels for managers to maintain.
