Determining the optimal substrate for the invasive New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)
Open Access
Author:
Ghannam, Sally
Area of Honors:
Biology
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Edward P Levri, Thesis Supervisor Laura Rotunno, Thesis Honors Advisor Allison Cornell, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum invasive species ecology biology periphyton woody debris leaf litter Spirulina algae optimal substrate
Abstract:
The New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) is an aquatic invasive species that has been found in many countries and six continents. P. antipodarum can reproduce at a high rate, which leads to a high population growth rate and successful spread of the snail. This could negatively impact ecosystems. The purpose of this work was to determine if certain habitats in streams are better for the snails than others. In this experiment, snails were taken from a population in Spring Creek in Centre County, PA. The snails were grown for eight weeks on four different diets, including leaf litter, woody debris, rocks, and a Spirulina algae powder, which was the control. The size of each snail was measured at the beginning and end of the experiment to determine the mean growth rate. There was a significant difference in growth rates between the different treatments. Snails that grew on leaf litter and woody debris showed higher snail growth rates in comparison to the control and rock treatments. This suggests that some diets are better than others for the mud snail, and that the energy input from outside the aquatic system may be very important in the success of this invader.
