![]() Gilroy (2018): Interspecific variation in responses to microclimate by terrestrial isopods: implications in relation to climate change. ![]() Tuck (2007): Sheltering behavior of terrestrial isopods in grasslands. (1999): Red oak litter promotes a microarthropod functional group that accelerates its decomposition. (1981): Influence of grazing by Collembola on the activity of senescent fungal colonies grown on media of different nutrient concentration. Iribarne (2003): Molluscs as ecosystem engineers: the role of shell production in aquatic habitats. ![]() – Journal of Arid Environments 43: 143–153. (Mollusca: Gasteropoda: Dorcasiidae) in desertic winter-rainfall areas in southern Africa. Gess (1999): The use by wasps, bees and spiders of shells of Trigonephrus Pilsb. Fierro (2016): Carbon footprint of heliciculture: A case study from an Italian experimental farm. (2001): Dispersal of enthomopathogenic fungi by collembolans. Waite (2012): The influence of microclimate on foraging and sheltering behaviours of terrestrial isopods: Implications for soil carbon dynamics under climate change. Devigne (2013): Benefits of aggregation in woodlice: a factor in the terrestrialization process? – In Insectes Sociaux 60: 419–435. – Journal of Insect Conservation 24: 513–523. Horsák (2020): Long‑term changes of steppe‑associated wild bees differ between shell‑nesting and ground‑nesting species. – Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 299: 106949. Heneberg (2020): Near-natural habitats near almond orchards with presence of empty gastropod shells are important for solitary shell-nesting bees and wasps. ![]() – Insect Conservation and Diversity 12: 193–205. Heneberg (2019): The presence of high numbers of empty shells in anthropogenic habitats is insufficient to attract shell adopters among the insects. – Wiley statsref: statistics reference online: 1–15. (2017): Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). The future use of commercially available, empty shells from heliciculture in local restoration projects of open, tree-free areas, holds the potential to support a diverse invertebrate fauna with additional refuge habitats.Īnderson, M. In autumn, shell adopters included isopods, gastropods and spiders in one subset of shells or Collembola in another subset. Shells of the Roman snail provide important multipurpose benefits for a wide range of soil organisms, particularly in habitats that were dominated by herbaceous vegetation and in summer. Shells with a larger width were more frequently colonized by another gastropod species than less wide shells. Shell width, but not shell height significantly affected the composition of shell adopter communities. The number of shell adopters per shell was 1.5 times higher in study areas dominated by herbaceous vegetation compared to study areas dominated by trees. In total, 91.4 % of all collected shells were occupied and the average number of shell adopters was 1.5 time higher in shells collected in summer compared to shells collected in autumn. ![]() All collected shells (N = 618) were sealed at the time of collection, frozen and all content was then analysed with a digital microscope. In total, 1408 empty shells were placed in areas dominated by one of two vegetation forms (herbaceous vegetation or trees) from February to November 2019 (autumn) or from February to June/July 2020 (summer). This study focuses on shells of the Roman snail ( Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758) and their value as microhabitat for shell adopters in different dominant vegetation forms and sample periods. Previous studies, for example, highlighted the importance of snail shells as microhabitat for threatened arthropod species with particular focus on wild bees nesting in empty shells. Shells of molluscs from snail farms (heliciculture) are used as food additives or construction material and ecological engineering approaches utilize their potential to assist with ecosystem restoration. Gastropoda, Helix pomatia, shell adopter, shelter, soil animals Abstract Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg ![]()
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