Allegra Buyer

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Gilchrist, Sandra

Keywords

Apple Snails, Florida, Invasive

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

Pomacea insularum, an invasive apple snail species, has spread throughout Florida and other regions of the United States. It could potentially consume large amounts of vegetation and interact with the native Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa (Say). In this study, its growth rate under different densities was examined. Growth rates of juvenile P. insularum and P. paludosa were compared in separate and combined tanks. A possible lowered growth rate was noted for P. insularum at a higher density than for other species in the Pomacea genus. Pomacea insularum grew faster than P. paludosa, similar to other studies, but may have been limited by food resources. This species did not grow nearly as fast in tanks receiving less sunlight, which also had less algae and/or cyanobacteria. While P. insularum may be able to colonize certain areas faster than P. paludosa, the level of predation could limit its spread. Long-term studies need to be conducted in ecosystems that have both snails to determine the potential impact of P. insularum.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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