Microgeographical variation in shell size of the land snail Chondrina clienta

Microgeographical variation in shell morphology of the rock-dwelling land snail Chondrina clienta , collected from 30 sites within an area of 0.5 km² on the island of Öland, Sweden, was examined in relation to its own population density and that of a potential competitor (the land snail Balea perversa ) and to environmental factors. Dispersal of marked individuals averaged 83 cm per year within a stone pile and 291 cm in an area of exposed bedrock. Local population density of active C. clienta ranged from 5 to 794 individuals per m². Shell characters were highly intercorrelated, both within and between populations. Principal component analysis revealed that most of the interpopulational variation could be expressed by the single character of shell height, which ranged from 5.54 to 6.94 mm. In all populations, snails of a given size had the same whorl number. Shell size was not influenced by habitat type (exposed rock surface, stone pile or stone wall) or proportion of calcareous stones within habitat. It was, however, negatively correlated with local population density, indicating intraspecific competition, and positively correlated with the degree of plant cover within the habitat. Analysis of variance revealed additionally a density effect of B. perversa on shell size in C. clienta , probably as a result of interspecific competition. Breeding experiments using C. clienta from different sites and carried out under unifrom conditions caused most of the phenotypic variation to disappear, demonstrating the high phenotypic plasticity of the species.     

Polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers in the endangered land snail,Trichia caelata (Gastropoda,Stylommatophora)

Eight novel polymorphic microsatellite loci are presented for the endangered land snail Trichia caelata, a rare species endemic to the Northwestern Jura mountains, Switzerland. The number of alleles per locus ranged from six to 17. At seven loci, the expected heterozygosity differed significantly from observed heterozygosity. No evidence for linkage disequilibrium was detected between locus pairs. We are currently using these markers to investigate the genetic population structure of T. caelata in its restricted distribution area.     

Effects of small‐scale grassland fragmentation and frequent mowing on population density and species diversity of orthopterans: a long‐term study

Abstract 1. Habitat fragmentation is considered one of the major threats to invertebrate diversity in semi‐natural grassland. However, the effects of habitat fragmentation through mowing on the rich insect fauna of these grasslands have not been sufficiently investigated and experiments are especially rare. 2. We studied the impact of small‐scale grassland fragmentation on orthopterans over 7 years in an experiment which allowed us to additionally investigate the effect of frequent mowing on Orthoptera communities. 3. Overall, Orthoptera density and species richness increased over time. This was likely a result of increased small‐scale habitat heterogeneity and the provision of a short‐turf habitat suitable for xerophilous species. The fragmentation affected orthopteran density and species composition but not species richness whose response lagged behind the changes in abundance. 4. Responses differed between suborders. Ensifera density was higher in fragment than in control plots. Caelifera density did not differ between fragment and control plots. The mown matrix was an unsuitable habitat for most of the species, particularly within the Ensifera. 5. Our experiment shows that even small‐scale fragmentation can affect Orthopteran communities and that the effects became more pronounced over time. As the mown matrix was unsuitable for many Ensifera species, they may go locally extinct when large areas are mown simultaneously.     

Diffusion in plant cuticles as affected by temperature and size of organic solutes: similarity and diversity among species

Mobilities of lipophilic organic solutes in cuticular membranes (CM) isolated from mature leaves of Citrus aurantium L., Citrus grandis L., Hedera helix L., IIex aquifolium L., Ilex paraguariensis St.-Hil., Mains domestica Borkh., Prunus armeniaca L., Primus laurocerasus L., Pyrus communis L., Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm. f.) Nakai, Stephanotis florihunda Brongn. and Strophantus gratus Baill. were measured over a temperature range of 15–78°C. In this range, solute mobilities increased up to 1000-fold, which corresponds to temperature coefficients Q₁₀ of 3 (IAA in P. armeniaca) to 14 (cholesterol in H. helix). For most species, Arrhenius graphs showed good linearity up to 40°C, and up to 78°C for some species, while for others activation energies declined with increasing temperature. However, no distinct phase transitions caused by sudden structural changes in the CM were observed. In three species we examined whether heating to 70°C changed solute mobility irreversibly by comparing Arrhenius graphs for two successive experiments with the same CM. The two graphs were very similar for P. laurocerasus, while mobilities in the second graph were somewhat reduced for C. aurantium and greatly increased (at 25 and 35°C) for H. helix. This indicates rearrangements of at least some wax constituents when heated to high temperatures. The activation energies of diffusion (E_D) ranged from 75 to 189 KJ mol^?11 depending on species and solute size. Size selectivity and variability between cuticles decreased with increasing temperature, and this is caused by differences in (E_D). An excellent correlation between the pre-exponential factor of the Arrhenius equation and E_D was observed, which is evidence that organic solutes differing greatly in molecular size (130–349 cm³ mol^?1) and cuticle/water partition coefficient (25–10⁸) use similar diffusion paths in the CM of all 12 plant species tested. Diffusion occurs in regions with identical physicochemical properties and differs only in magnitude.     

Subcellular Distribution of Picloram

Gas chromatographic and radioisotopic analyses were made of cell wall, chloroplast, mitochondria and the remaining cytoplasm fractions of cowpea (Vigna sinensis Endl. cv. Southern Blackeye) trifoliates acropetal to primary leaves treated with the growth regulator 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloro-picolinic acid (picloram). The majority of picloram was recovered from the remaining cytoplasm. Concentrations in chloroplasts and mitochondria were consistently low.     

Do the risks of egg cannibalism and desiccation influence the choice of oviposition sites in the land snail Arianta arbustorum?

Laboratory tests were conducted to examine whether egg-laying Arianta arbustorum prevents egg cannibalism in its offspring by the choice of oviposition sites. Arianta arbustorum did not react to the presence of conspecific eggs when starting to oviposit, thus exposing its eggs to the risk of between-batch cannibalism. Snails preferred to oviposit in soil of higher moisture content even at high air humidity, reducing the risks of later egg desiccation and within-batch cannibalism. Both the types of oviposition sites chosen and their spatial distribution, as observed in 11 natural populations of A. arbustorum near Uppsala, Sweden, suggest that abiotic factors, such as a permanently moist microhabitat, may exert a stronger selection pressure on the oviposition-site choice than does between-batch egg cannibalism. As a result, the dispersion of egg batches observed in the field mainly reflects the spatial heterogeneity of habitats.