Impact of land use on populations of Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy, 1849) and Vertigo angustior (Jeffreys, 1830) (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Vertiginidae): Ilanka River valley (W. Poland)

Many sedge meadows in western Poland provide suitable habitats for Vertigo angustior Jeffreys and Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy) which are regarded as threatened across Europe. Such habitats are often subject to conservation measures aimed at supporting wetland birds in accordance with the European Birds Directive. Such measures, usually involving extensive mowing, may not favour the vertiginids. Both species are protected by another European act – The Habitats Directive. The range of methods used for maintaining the bird habitats is wide: the sites are mowed manually or mechanically in different ways, and the mowing covers the entire site or just selected patches. The aim of this study was to check how the different maintenance methods influenced the vertiginid populations. The abundance of V. angustior and V. moulinsiana was studied at 17 sampling sites along the Ilanka river valley (Lubuskie Province, W. Poland). The sites differed in size, moisture level, vegetation, type of land use and shadiness. The results suggest that extensive land management can be advantageous for botth species only when the site is divided in patches which are mowed alternately in consecutive years

New records of Pupilla pratensis (Clessin, 1871) in Western Poland

Two localities of Pupilla pratensis were found in the environs of Gubin and Stęszew, W. Poland. Only one recent record of the species, earlier regarded as an ecotype of the widespread P. muscorum, was known from Poland. Consequently, the distribution and conservation status of the species are not well known. Our data indicate that P. pratensis is rare and has specific habitat requirements. In our study area it was found in only two out of 71 examined localities of a very similar habitat type and sampled on the same occasions. The two localities are wet meadows covered by sedges (mostly Carex acutiforis) growing on a calcareous peat substratum of lacustrine origin; the species is accompanied by two rare and legally protected vertiginids: Vertigo angustior and V. moulinsiana