Land Snails and Soil Calcium in a Central Appalachian Mountain County

摘要

Associations between land snail numbers, land snail species richness, and some211u001esoil characteristics are reported for ten mature forest sites in Garrett County, 211u001eon the Appalachian Mountain Plateua in western Maryland. In this study, snail 211u001eabundance and species richness in samples are positively correlated with total 211u001eCa, the water soluble Ca component, and pH in both the O2 and Al upper soil 211u001ehorizons. These soil parameters are also positively correlated with each other. 211u001eSnail abundance and species richness in samples are negatively correlated with 211u001eorganic matter content. It appears that the land snail fauna is a sensitive 211u001eindicator of Ca and related parameters of the upper soil horizons at these sites. 211u001eFor these 10m x 20m plots, a timed search technique provides an adequate measure 211u001eof the land snail fauna and is more efficient than labor-intensive litter 211u001esieving. Further study may determine that changes in soil Ca, such as those 211u001eassociated with acid precipitation or timber harvest, are reflected by changes in 211u001eland snail abundance and species richness at sites in the Central Appalachian 211u001eMountains, as in Europe.