POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(Pol. J. Ecol.)

51

1

53-66

2003

 

 

 

Year-to-year stability of aggregations of Viviparus viviparus (Linnaeus 1758) in littoral zone of lowland, rheophilic reservoir (central Poland)

 

Beata Jakubik

 

Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, University of Podlasie, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland, e-mail:ekologia@ap.siedlce.pl 

 

Abstract: 

The aggregations of V. viviparus were observed in the littoral of Zegrzyński Reservoir (Central Poland), and in the outfalls of its tributaries. They were present over five years of studies (1990–1994), at the same sites. The densities of snails in the aggregations differed among the sites (from over 800 ind.·m-2 to 500 ind.·m-2 in the reservoir itself), and showed seasonal changes with maximum in summer, and minimum in spring and fall. Swarming of the snails was related to the environmental changes and biology of this species. Tendency to form bigger snail conglomerations in the mouth sections of the rivers results from continuous inflow of organic matter being food supply for these organisms.

 

Key words: lowland reservoir, V. viviparus, aggregation, river