Small-scale distribution of terrestrial snails: patterns of
species richness and abundance related to area

J 2013

Small-scale distribution of terrestrial snails: patterns of species richness and abundance related to area

MYŠÁK, Jan; Michal HORSÁK; Eva SVOBODOVÁ and Nicole ČERNOHORSKÁ

Basic information

Original name

Small-scale distribution of terrestrial snails: patterns of species richness and abundance related to area

Authors

MYŠÁK, Jan (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution); Michal HORSÁK (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution); Eva SVOBODOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Nicole ČERNOHORSKÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Journal of Molluscan Studies, 2013, 0260-1230

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Article in a journal

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

Impact factor

Impact factor: 1.495

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/13:00066133

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyt002

UT WoS

000318569500003

Keywords in English

molluscs; land snails; small scale; dispersal; body size; richness

Abstract

In the original language

Although many studies have dealt with the spatial distribution of land-snail species and individuals, the effect of quadrat size on the interpretation of distributional patterns at small scales has rarely been investigated. We studied the spatial pattern of terrestrial snail distributions within a continuously sampled area of homogeneous habitat at very small scales (,1 m2). The sampling was conducted in two contrasting habitat types: deciduous forests (29 sites) and treeless fens (23 sites) in Central Europe; each site consisted of three nested quadrats (25 25 cm2, 50 50 cm2 and 75 75 cm2). On average the forest plots harboured higher numbers of species than fen plots and fen assemblages were composed of significantly smaller species in body volume. Numbers of species and individuals in smaller quadrats estimated from those present in larger ones often deviated significantly from those actually observed, showing frequently aggregated distribution of snails. These deviations were most marked for comparisons involving the smallest quadrats, whereas they almost disappeared in comparisons of large and middle-sized quadrats, both for species and individuals in both habitat types. Proportional deviances between collected and estimated numbers were always significantly higher for individuals than for species, with only one exception. Our results extend previous observations of land-snail spatial aggregations and they raise questions about environmental heterogeneity even in visually homogeneous areas or about possible biotic interactions among individual species. The steeper slope of the regression between area and numbers of species in log-log space from the smallest to the middle quadrat than from the latter to the largest quadrat, and the existence of several cases in which the observed richness was significantly greater than that predicted from rarefaction, suggest that even at this scale there are still idiosyncratic variations in the range of microhabitats available within quadrats.

Links

GD526/09/H025, research and development project

Name: Evolučně-ekologická analýza společenstev a populací

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Evolutionary ecological analysis of communities and populations

Cite

MYŠÁK, Jan; Michal HORSÁK; Eva SVOBODOVÁ and Nicole ČERNOHORSKÁ. Small-scale distribution of terrestrial snails: patterns of species richness and abundance related to area. Journal of Molluscan Studies. 2013, vol. 79, No 1, p. 118-127. ISSN 0260-1230. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyt002.

@article{1109056,
   author = {Myšák, Jan and Horsák, Michal and Svobodová, Eva and Černohorská, Nicole},
   article_number = {1},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyt002},
   keywords = {molluscs; land snails; small scale; dispersal; body size; richness},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0260-1230},
   journal = {Journal of Molluscan Studies},
   title = {Small-scale distribution of terrestrial snails: patterns of species richness and abundance related to area},
   volume = {79},
   year = {2013}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1109056
AU  - Myšák, Jan - Horsák, Michal - Svobodová, Eva - Černohorská, Nicole
PY  - 2013
TI  - Small-scale distribution of terrestrial snails: patterns of species richness and abundance related to area
JF  - Journal of Molluscan Studies
VL  - 79
IS  - 1
SP  - 118-127
EP  - 118-127
SN  - 02601230
KW  - molluscs
KW  - land snails
KW  - small scale
KW  - dispersal
KW  - body size
KW  - richness
N2  - Although many studies have dealt with the spatial distribution of land-snail species and individuals, the effect of quadrat size on the interpretation of distributional patterns at small scales has rarely been investigated. We studied the spatial pattern of terrestrial snail distributions within a continuously sampled area of homogeneous habitat at very small scales (,1 m2). The sampling was conducted in two contrasting habitat types: deciduous forests (29 sites) and treeless fens (23 sites) in Central Europe; each site consisted of three nested quadrats (25 25 cm2, 50 50 cm2 and 75 75 cm2). On average the forest plots harboured higher numbers of species than fen plots and fen assemblages were composed of significantly smaller species in body volume. Numbers of species and individuals in smaller quadrats estimated from those present in larger ones often deviated significantly from those actually observed, showing frequently aggregated distribution of snails. These deviations were most marked for comparisons involving the smallest quadrats, whereas they almost disappeared in comparisons of large and middle-sized quadrats, both for species and individuals in both habitat types. Proportional deviances between collected and estimated numbers were always significantly higher for individuals than for species, with only one exception. Our results extend previous observations of land-snail spatial aggregations and they raise questions about environmental heterogeneity even in visually homogeneous areas or about possible biotic interactions among individual species. The steeper slope of the regression between area and numbers of species in log-log space from the smallest to the middle quadrat than from the latter to the largest quadrat, and the existence of several cases in which the observed richness was significantly greater than that predicted from rarefaction, suggest that even at this scale there are still idiosyncratic variations in the range of microhabitats available within quadrats.
ER  -

MYŠÁK, Jan; Michal HORSÁK; Eva SVOBODOVÁ and Nicole ČERNOHORSKÁ. Small-scale distribution of terrestrial snails: patterns of species richness and abundance related to area. \textit{Journal of Molluscan Studies}. 2013, vol.~79, No~1, p.~118-127. ISSN~0260-1230. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyt002.

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