Classification of terrestrial molluscan communities in the middle-danubian alluvial woodland (SW Slovakia)
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Říční krajina 4, Sborník příspěvků z konference |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Ecology |
| Keywords | mollusca; wetland; floodplain forest; Danube |
| Description | The species richness and composition of land snail assemblages in 42 floodplain forest sites along the Danube River in Slovakia were studied to find the main ecological gradients responsible for the variation in the faunas. We found just one, but steep, ecological gradient influencing the variation of snail species composition among different floodplain forest type. Species composition mainly reflected differences between sites without floods and the others. Species richness as well as total abundances of live individuals were not significantly controlled by any explanatory variable, although some trends could be discerned. Considering vegetation classification, substantial differences were observed between wet softwood floodplain forests and the remaining types, drier softwood forests and different types of hardwood forests, which were impossible to distinguish based on land snail assemblages. The results are discussed in relation to earlier descriptive studies, and in terms of the conservation of these threatened habitats. |
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