Secondary successions on abandoned cultivation terraces in calcareous Provence. II- The gastropod communities

摘要

Gastropod communities were analysed along secondary successions on abandoned cultivation terraces. The dynamic patterns of the molluscan succession are very similar to those derived from the phytoecological analysis. Our results show a strong correlation between the composition of the snail communities and the flora. However, the malacofauna seems to be more influenced by both the vegetation structure and the landscape structure. The Mediterranean character of the communities decreases in the woodland stages of the succession. A tree cover of at least 50% is a decisive threshold enabling the settlement of actual woodland communities including widespread shade-loving species (Cepaea nemoralis). The effects of changes in the soil surface features (rocks, litter and soil covers) along the succession is also described. Thus, we underline the role of land gastropod communities as a bio-indicator.