An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm Components
In this study, the structural and management characteristics of snail farms in Greece were analyzed to maximize sustainable food production. Objectives, such as the classification of farming systems and assessing the effects of various annual production parameters, were investigated. Data were colle...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/272 |
| _version_ | 1797408646560219136 |
|---|---|
| author | Konstantinos Apostolou Alexandra Staikou Smaragda Sotiraki Marianthi Hatziioannou |
| author_facet | Konstantinos Apostolou Alexandra Staikou Smaragda Sotiraki Marianthi Hatziioannou |
| author_sort | Konstantinos Apostolou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, the structural and management characteristics of snail farms in Greece were analyzed to maximize sustainable food production. Objectives, such as the classification of farming systems and assessing the effects of various annual production parameters, were investigated. Data were collected (2017) via a questionnaire, and sampling was conducted in 29 snail farms dispersed in six different regions (Thrace, Central Macedonia, West Macedonia, Thessaly, Western Greece, and the Attica Islands). Descriptive statistics for continuous variables and frequencies for categorical variables were calculated. The similarity between farms was analyzed using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS). The average farm operation duration exceeded eight months and the mean annual production was 1597 kg of fresh, live snails. Results recorded five farming systems: elevated sections (7%), net-covered greenhouse (38%), a mixed system with a net-covered greenhouse (10%), open field (38%), and mixed system with an open field (7%). Snail farms differ in the type of substrate, available facilities, and equipment (60% similarity between most of the open field farms). The geographical location of a farms’ settlement affects productivity but also influences the duration of operation, especially in open field farms, due to their operation under a wide assortment of climatic types. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:02:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2cc8531825964b9c89da6d00a90af76c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:02:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-2cc8531825964b9c89da6d00a90af76c2023-12-03T14:11:26ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-01-0111227210.3390/ani11020272An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm ComponentsKonstantinos Apostolou0Alexandra Staikou1Smaragda Sotiraki2Marianthi Hatziioannou3Department of Ichthyology & Aquatic Environment, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, Fytoko Street, 38 445 Nea Ionia Magnesia, GreeceDepartment of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceVeterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization DEMETER, HAO Campus, 57001 Thermi, GreeceDepartment of Ichthyology & Aquatic Environment, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, Fytoko Street, 38 445 Nea Ionia Magnesia, GreeceIn this study, the structural and management characteristics of snail farms in Greece were analyzed to maximize sustainable food production. Objectives, such as the classification of farming systems and assessing the effects of various annual production parameters, were investigated. Data were collected (2017) via a questionnaire, and sampling was conducted in 29 snail farms dispersed in six different regions (Thrace, Central Macedonia, West Macedonia, Thessaly, Western Greece, and the Attica Islands). Descriptive statistics for continuous variables and frequencies for categorical variables were calculated. The similarity between farms was analyzed using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS). The average farm operation duration exceeded eight months and the mean annual production was 1597 kg of fresh, live snails. Results recorded five farming systems: elevated sections (7%), net-covered greenhouse (38%), a mixed system with a net-covered greenhouse (10%), open field (38%), and mixed system with an open field (7%). Snail farms differ in the type of substrate, available facilities, and equipment (60% similarity between most of the open field farms). The geographical location of a farms’ settlement affects productivity but also influences the duration of operation, especially in open field farms, due to their operation under a wide assortment of climatic types.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/272helicicultureinvertebrate livestockenvironmental sustainabilitytypology |
| spellingShingle | Konstantinos Apostolou Alexandra Staikou Smaragda Sotiraki Marianthi Hatziioannou An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm Components Animals heliciculture invertebrate livestock environmental sustainability typology |
| title | An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm Components |
| title_full | An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm Components |
| title_fullStr | An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm Components |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm Components |
| title_short | An Assessment of Snail-Farm Systems Based on Land Use and Farm Components |
| title_sort | assessment of snail farm systems based on land use and farm components |
| topic | heliciculture invertebrate livestock environmental sustainability typology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/272 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT konstantinosapostolou anassessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents AT alexandrastaikou anassessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents AT smaragdasotiraki anassessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents AT marianthihatziioannou anassessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents AT konstantinosapostolou assessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents AT alexandrastaikou assessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents AT smaragdasotiraki assessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents AT marianthihatziioannou assessmentofsnailfarmsystemsbasedonlanduseandfarmcomponents |