Prescribed burning is used to duplicate natural, pre-settlement prairie successional processes. It is an essential and commonly used tool to promote and protect biodiversity and enhance ecosystem function in tallgrass prairie remnants throughout the midwestern United States. The responses to prescribed burns vary widely among faunal groups. We conducted the first study into the response of the prairie crayfish (Procambarus gracilis Bundy) to periodic prescribed burns and other management activities in a tallgrass prairie in Northern Missouri. This species relies on natural and restored prairies across its broad distribution, but little is known on how to actively manage these populations. We found that the density of the prairie crayfish burrows did not vary in response to the burn regime; however, other management activities like the installation of artificial ponds for amphibians and reptiles were directly benefitting this species. Observations indicate that prairie crayfish may also show positive associations with warm-season grass stands and vegetation management should be further explored. The current prairie management practices for vegetation, quail, and herpetofauna are having beneficial or neutral effects on non-target taxa like the prairie crayfish. The value of crayfish and their burrows in prairies is well-established. Conservation biologists should continue to examine how burrowing crayfish are responding to management practices for other taxa to explicitly manage and promote these populations.

中文翻译：

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中西部草原管理实践有利于非目标草原小龙虾

规定的燃烧用于复制自然的、定居前的草原演替过程。它是促进和保护美国中西部高草草原遗迹生物多样性和增强生态系统功能的重要且常用的工具。不同动物群体对规定烧伤的反应差异很大。我们对密苏里州北部高草草原上的草原小龙虾（Procambarus gracilis Bundy）对定期规定的烧伤和其他管理活动的反应进行了第一项研究。该物种的广泛分布依赖于自然和恢复的草原，但人们对如何积极管理这些种群知之甚少。我们发现草原小龙虾洞穴的密度并没有随着燃烧情况而变化；然而，其他管理活动，例如为两栖动物和爬行动物安装人工池塘，直接使该物种受益。观察表明，草原小龙虾也可能与暖季草丛呈正相关，应进一步探索植被管理。目前对植被、鹌鹑和爬行动物的草原管理实践对草原小龙虾等非目标类群产生了有益或中性的影响。小龙虾及其在草原上的洞穴的价值是众所周知的。保护生物学家应继续研究穴居小龙虾如何响应其他类群的管理实践，以明确管理和促进这些种群的发展。