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Turkish Journal of Zoology

DOI

10.3906/zoo-1601-77

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different temperatures, i.e. 11 °C and 21 °C, in conditions of medium relative humidity on the rate of awakening of Vertigo moulinsiana after hibernation and its activity during the following 7 days. Oneway ANOVA did not show statistically significant differences in timings of awakening and activity between individuals kept at 11 °C and 21 °C during the first day of the study. The 1-week observations of the activity of V. moulinsiana showed significant differences in relation to temperature. Snails were more active at the lower temperature, which may be explained by a lower loss of water from the snails and a higher availability of water as dew formed condensation on the inner walls of the test tubes. At both temperatures, not all of the specimens awoke from hibernation, which could be related to differences in hydration between particular individuals or a diversified bet-hedging strategy, implemented by the species in the face of unpredictable environmental conditions. Results of this study indicate that increasing temperatures due to climatic changes may reduce the activity of this species and therefore also its reproduction rates.

Keywords

Mollusca, wintering, biology, wetland, local extinctions

First Page

370

Last Page

374

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