How deep can the yabby dig burrows during aestivation to reach the water table?

Answer

0.5 to 2 meters

When faced with severe drought conditions, the yabby employs a critical survival mechanism known as aestivation. This process involves the animal retreating into the substrate to escape desiccation and heat. To access reliable moisture and maintain life support, they dig extensive burrows deep into the mud or soil. The reported depth for these survival chambers ranges significantly but centers around half a meter to two meters below the surface. This depth is necessary to ensure the burrow remains connected to the saturated water table or deep, moist mud layers, allowing the creature to significantly slow down its metabolic functions, cease feeding, and wait for environmental conditions to improve, thereby sustaining life through extended dry periods.

How deep can the yabby dig burrows during aestivation to reach the water table?

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