Zofia Książkiewicz-Parulska

Investigating the influence of habitat type and weather conditions on the population dynamics of land snails Vertigo angustior Jeffreys, 1830 and Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy, 1849). A case study from western Poland

ABSTRACT The conservation of land snails has become an urgent issue because of the current global decline of this group. Detailed knowledge of population dynamics is needed to develop an appropriate strategy for conservation. We investigated the population dynamics of two threatened European land snail species: Vertigo angustior and Vertigo moulinsiana. Although the species may be found at the same site, V. moulinsiana is more tolerant of wetter conditions than is V. angustior. Abundance data for the two species were collected at two sites (one drier and one wetter) in western Poland biweekly during the spring and summer months in 2008 and 2009. In the drier year, snail abundance was similar between the drier and wetter sites. In the wetter year, snail abundances were generally higher than in the dry year, except that the inundation-intolerant V. angustior became less abundant at the wetter site. We conclude that weather affects different species differently and therefore should be considered along with the habitat features in interpreting survey results for land snails.

A Red List of mites from the suborder Uropodina (Acari: Parasitiformes) in Poland

This article presents a Red List of mite species from the suborder Uropodina (Acari: Parasitiformes) occurring in Poland. Evaluation of the conservation status of the analyzed species was compiled on the basis of new criteria, which may also be applied to other groups of soil fauna. The authors employ the names of categories proposed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). One of our aims was to review the IUCN criteria to ascertain whether they are applicable in an attempt to assess the danger of extinction of soil invertebrates, and to see whether the criteria can be adapted to make such an assessment. The analyzed material contained 93 mite species obtained from 16,921 soil samples, which were collected between 1961 and 2017 in the whole area of Poland. The categories were assigned to species on the basis of the frequency of the species, but also other factors were taken into account, such as microhabitat specificity, vulnerability to detrimental conditions, and shrinking of local populations. One of the analyzed species can now be regarded as extinct, over 25% of the species (26 spp.) were labeled as critically endangered, and most of them (33 spp.) were categorized as vulnerable—the other species were assigned to the categories endangered (13 spp.), near threatened (10 spp.), and least concern (10 spp.).

Overwintering of Vertigo moulinsiana and Vertigo angustior (Mollusca : Gastropoda)

Overwintering strategies of land snails are poorly known. This knowledge, however, would help planning effective conservation measures of rare and endangered species. We studied overwintering of two snail species, Vertigo moulinsiana and V. angustior, having high conservation priority according to the European Union Habitat Directive. The study was conducted in two localities in western Poland. The material was collected three times in six-week intervals, from February to April 2016. The analyses showed that the abundance of overwintering individuals of V. angustior was positively correlated with the amount of litter and mosses. In the case of V. moulinsiana, more juveniles were found in litter than on plants. Adults of this species, however, were overwintering on plants rather than in litter. Our study indicates that different protection measures are necessary to increase the survival rates of V. angustior and V. moulinsiana in winter.

Influence of Pleistocene glaciation on the distribution of three species of Labidostomma in Europe (Acari: Labidostommatidae)

Abstract We present the results of research into the distribution and migration of three species of mites in the genus Labidostomma after the Pleistocene glaciation period in Europe. This study primarily focuses on the area of Poland, which was affected by the Scandinavian glacier four times. The migration trajectories of the species have been reconstructed on the basis of the current distribution, their altitude preferences, the sex ratio in populations of Labidostomma luteum, and the body size differences in different populations of L. luteum and L. denticulata. These species all have distributional limits in Poland: L. luteum—southeastern boundary, L. denticulata—northern, and Labidostomma cornuta—northwestern. Labidostomma luteum is a typically lowland species, L. cornuta occurred from 300 to 700 m a.s.l., and L. denticulata inhabits mountainous areas. The youngest populations of L. luteum and L. denticulata contain the smallest individuals. The number of males in populations of L. luteum is lower in northern areas of Europe, where the glacier has already retreated and the smaller specimens of L. luteum and L. denticulata were collected in the most remote habitats from the southern refugia where they succeeded in survival during the glaciation period.

Repeatability of the phoretic relationships between mites of the genus Trichouropoda Berlese (Parasitiformes: Uropodina) and longhorn beetles of the genus Tetropium Kirby (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Central Europe

ABSTRACT We studied repeatability of phoretic relationships between Trichouropoda shcherbakae Hirschmann, 1972 and longhorn beetles Tetropium castaneum (Linnaeus, 1758) and Te. fuscum (Fabricius, 1787) in Białowieża Primeval Forest in Central Europe. Samples of mites phoretic on two Tetropium Kirby, 1837 species were collected in 2008 and compared with the data from 2007. In both years, the same study plots and collecting methods were used in the same phenological periods. The phenomenon of phoresy was studied with emphasis on phoront–host associations, temporal changes in intensity of phoresy, proportion of carriers of mites in longhorn beetle populations, participation of longhorn beetle species in the transportation of mites, and preferences of phoretic deutonymphs for specific parts of the host’s body. The phoretic relationships are characterized by high repeatability in most of the variables we studied. This is indicative of high stability of the phoretic relationship, probably resulting from the long-term coevolution of beetle dispersants and phoretic mites in a natural forest ecosystem, as well as high specificity typical among pioneer species in initial stages of tree decomposition.

The Impact of Temperature on Activity Patterns of Two Vertiginid Micro-Molluscs (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in Conditions of High, Constant Humidity

Abstract: The goal of this study was to check the activity pattern of two hygrophilous land snails: Vertigo moulinsiana Dupuy, 1849 and Vertigo angustior (Jeffreys, 1830) at 11 °C and 21 °C, in conditions of high, constant humidity. The activity of snails was investigated for two weeks and checked two times a day: at 7AM and 7 PM. One-way ANOVA has shown statistically significant differences in the activity patterns of the studied snails. Both species were more active at 11 °C than 21 °C however, V. moulinsiana was more active than V. angustior in both temperatures. The higher activity of both species at 11 °C may be due to the fact that these vertiginids lose more water under hot conditions than under cold even at the same saturation deficits. On the other hand, higher activity of the climbing species — V. moulinsiana which in nature is exposed to the greater temperature fluctuations than the litter dwelling V. angustior, may cause a quicker response to changes of the temperature, and protect from overheating in the growing season. The present study shows that in the light of climate changes, associated with the rise of temperature, both of the studied species will probably reduce activity even in conditions of height humidity.

Freshwater Molluscs in Diet of Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

ABSTRACT The diet of nestling Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix) was investigated in Warta Mouth National Park (W Poland) in the breeding season of 2003. We analyzed 82 food samples of which 79% contained snails and bivalves. Hooded Crows prefer Viviparus spp. instead of smaller but more abundant molluscan species present in the studied area. We suspect that under conditions of the lowland flooded river valleys Viviparus spp., as a relatively large and meaty species, can be eaten without the shell and is a more valuable food source than smaller molluscs.

Parasitic mesostigmatid mites (Acari) – common inhabitants of the nest boxes of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in a Polish urban habitat

Abstract In this study we investigated the mesostigmatid mite communities of starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nest boxes. We analysed material from 69 nest boxes collected from a park in Warsaw (Poland). Berlese funnels were used to extract the mites, which were subsequently sorted manually under a binocular microscope and preserved in ethanol. Mites were mounted on glass slides and identified under a microscope. Three species of mites were recorded, namely L. orbicularis (50), which is a granary mite and two parasite mites – Dermanyssus gallinae (3975 specimens) and Androlaelaps casalis (610). In conclusion, the high abundance of the parasites justifies the need to regularly clean the nest boxes.