Mollusc communities in Bulgarian fens: predictive power of the environment, vegetation, and spatial structure in an isolated habitat

0369115 - BÚ 2012 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Horsák, M. - Hájek, Michal - Hájková, Petra - Cameron, R. - Cernohorsky, N. - Apostolova, I.
Mollusc communities in Bulgarian fens: predictive power of the environment, vegetation, and spatial structure in an isolated habitat.
Science of Nature. Roč. 98, č. 8 (2011), s. 671-681. ISSN 0028-1042. E-ISSN 1432-1904
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516
Keywords : molluscs * spring fens * Bulgaria
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 2.278, year: 2011

Mollusc communities of previously unexplored Bulgarian fens were studied in order to determine and generalise the patterns of species richness and composition along the mineral richness gradient. The aim was also to compare predictive values of the environment, vegetation and spatial structure. Altogether, 44 mollusc species were recorded at 40 treeless fen sites. Species richness varied from 0 to 18 species per site, and it was positively associated with the mineral gradient and negatively with altitude. However, the best predictor was obtained using plant species composition. All explanatory variables had higher effect on land snails than on the entire mollusc assemblage (including aquatic species). Species richness and abundance were significantly and positively correlated with the species composition turnover; the communities were highly nested, with poor sites having subsets of the fauna found in the richest.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0203260