A fast snail’s pace: colonization of Central Europe by Mediterranean gastropods

Abstract

Central Europe faces an influx of terrestrial invertebrates from more southerly regions, in particular from the Mediterranean. This process is particularly noticeable among terrestrial gastropods. In the last 30 years, the number of non-native land snail species found outdoors in the Czech Republic increased from 5 to 15 (8% of all species); more than half of these have presumed Mediterranean origin. The trend has accelerated recently; seven new alien species (six Mediterranean) have been recorded since 2000. As the most recent example, we report the finding of a large helicid species from the South-East Mediterranean, Helix lucorum. A well-established overwintering population was found in Prague, over 400 km from the nearest known localities of the species. This trend of newly established snails corresponds with increases in average temperatures as well as the intensity of foreign trade in the past six decades, suggesting a synergistic effect of both climatic conditions and socioeconomic factors.

Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 – the aetiology of an invasive species

“…Changing global conditions influence the distribution of native species and facilitate the spread of invaders (jAnion et al 2010, peltAnová et al 2011). Climate change is clearly one of the most important factors affecting the distribution of all species.…”

“…There were two major peaks in invertebrate expansions. They took place in the 1950s and 1990s as a result of climate warming and habitat degradation (rabitSch 2008, peltAnová et al 2011). Many studies indicate that numerous species shifted their ranges towards the poles -towards higher latitudes -because of changes in temperature and precipitation (rabitSch 2008, peltAnová et al 2011, bebber et al 2013).…”

“…Many studies indicate that numerous species shifted their ranges towards the poles -towards higher latitudes -because of changes in temperature and precipitation (rabitSch 2008, peltAnová et al 2011, bebber et al 2013). The rapid spread of pest or invasive species through increases in latitudinal range may have resulted either from the direct effects of climate change or from the intensification of foreign trade over the past six decades, meaning synergies are at play (peltAnová et al 2011(peltAnová et al , bebber et al 2013.…”

“…peltAnová et al (2011) found that, over the last 30 years, the number of non-native land snail species found outdoors in the Czech Republic had increased from 5 to 15 (8% of all species). More than half of these were presumed to have originated in the Mediterranean, suggesting an influx of terrestrial invertebrates from more southerly regions (the so-called "Mediterranisation"; rabitSch 2008, peltAnová et al 2011. Although gastropods are known to have limited abilities of active dispersal, some dramatic, human-facilitated range expansions have recently been observed in Europe (peltAnová et al 2011).…”

“…It is a major defoliator of plants and causes severe damage in orchards and gardens as well as serious crop losses; for example, it has been observed to reduce strawberry yields in Sweden by half (Gren et al 2009). The slug also transmits plant pathogens (weidema 2006, hatteland 2010, peltAnová et al 2011, KoZłowSKi 2012, slotsbo 2012 and is an intermediate host of a nematode parasite of dogs and foxes -Angiostrongylus vasorum (Baillet, 1866) (Ferdushy et al 2010). In Sweden, it is suspected that slug-contaminated silage causes health problems in animals during wet summers.…”