Malacocoenoses of fragmented forests of Wielkopolska

Abstract

Terrestrial malacocoenoses of two neighboring forest complexes in W. Wielkopolska were sampled in 2003–2004; their structure and abundance were analysed in selected plots of oak-hornbeam forest of different protection status and degree of anthropogenic transformations. Twenty species (10 families) represented by 1,588 specimens were collected. The main components of the malacocoenoses were: Nesovitrea hammonis, Aegopinella nitidula, Ae. pura, Punctum pygmaeum, Cochlicopa lubricella, Perforatella incarnata and Carychium minimum. Both species composition and abundance varied greatly between the plots. The gastropods showed no preference for old oak-hornbeam stands or plots located in nature reserves. This may suggest that even under strong anthropopressure and in much transformed environments the snails are capable of maintaining a high diversity