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Tolerance of embryos and hatchlings of the invasive apple snail Pomacea maculata to estuarine conditions

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Abstract

One of the most successful groups of invasive consumers worldwide is freshwater snails of the family Ampullariidae, including Pomacea maculata, yet little is known about snail survival and growth in the range of conditions found in estuarine ecosystems. Here, we provide an experimental assessment of P. maculata survivability in estuarine conditions, documenting: (1) egg susceptibility to tidal inundation (2) salinity tolerance of snails, and (3) salinity effects on hatchling growth. Results indicate that estuarine conditions will not limit apple snail colonization in oligohaline and mesohaline reaches of estuaries, with eggs remaining viable when exposed to periodic inundations typical of a tidal regime and modest, albeit reduced, growth and survival at moderate salinities (5 and 10 ppt). For this reason, rapid detection and eradication of P. maculata in estuarine areas is needed to avoid the invasion of snails in these vital, productive environments.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Alabama Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (notably B. Ricks and D. Armstrong), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the numerous volunteers who assisted in eradication efforts. Funding for this manuscript was provided by the Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory and the Northern Gulf Institute. This manuscript was greatly improved as a result of the constructive criticisms of three anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Louisiana State University, 1229 Energy Coast and Environment Building, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Charles W. Martin

  2. Dauphin Island Sea Lab, 101 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island, AL, 36528-0369, USA

    Charles W. Martin & John F. Valentine

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  1. Charles W. Martin
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  2. John F. Valentine
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Correspondence to Charles W. Martin.

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Handling Editor: Piet Spaak.

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Martin, C.W., Valentine, J.F. Tolerance of embryos and hatchlings of the invasive apple snail Pomacea maculata to estuarine conditions. Aquat Ecol 48, 321–326 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-014-9486-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-014-9486-z

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