Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment?
The spread of freshwater invasive species through aquarium trade poses a threat to the ecosystem, economy and human health. The availability of the exotic freshwater gastropod mollusc, Planorbarius corneus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae), in pet shops in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, raise...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Kansas Libraries
2020-08-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Ecology |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.ku.edu/EuroJEcol/article/view/13693 |
| _version_ | 1797370149225889792 |
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| author | Pranesh Paul Rupsha Karmakar Gautam Aditya |
| author_facet | Pranesh Paul Rupsha Karmakar Gautam Aditya |
| author_sort | Pranesh Paul |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The spread of freshwater invasive species through aquarium trade poses a threat to the ecosystem, economy and human health. The availability of the exotic freshwater gastropod mollusc, Planorbarius corneus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae), in pet shops in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, raises concern for its potential establishment as an invasive species. Assuming the role of the native predators as a potential biotic barrier for invasion, observations on the predation pattern of the malacophagous leech, Glossiphonia weberi (Blanchard, 1897) (Clitellata: Glossiphoniidae) against P. corneus was made in single as well as in combination with the native snail Indoplanorbis exustus (Deshayes, 1834) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae). Using varying size classes and densities of P. corneus, the predation potential of G. weberi was estimated after a 24 hour period. In another set of experiments, the predation of G. weberi against the snail P. corneus was observed in the presence of I. exustus under four different habitat conditions. The purpose was to justify - (1) the effect of conspecific and heterospecific conditions of the prey availability and (2) the effect of habitat complexity on the predatory efficacy of G. weberi. The results indicated that G. weberi consumed varied numbers of P. corneus, depending on the size and the densities of the prey and predator. Although the prey heterogeneity and complex habitats caused significant reduction of predation on both of the prey species, G. weberi significantly preferred P. corneus over I. exustus in open (P < 0.0001), macrophyte (P = 0.002) and pebbles and macrophyte containing habitats (P < 0.0001). Apparently, G. weberi preferred the exotic snail P. corneus in presence of alternative prey snail I. exustus, under different habitat conditions. Therefore, G. weberi may act as a significant biotic resistance against the colonization and establishment of P. corneus in the Indian context. However, further studies including the multiple prey and predators are required to ascertain the food web level impact of the exotic snail P. corneus in invaded freshwater ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:58:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-65f2678c334c4ca9a6a061eccfd5064a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1339-8474 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:58:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | University of Kansas Libraries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-65f2678c334c4ca9a6a061eccfd5064a2024-01-02T03:45:41ZengUniversity of Kansas LibrariesEuropean Journal of Ecology1339-84742020-08-016110.17161/eurojecol.v6i1.13693Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment?Pranesh Paul0Rupsha Karmakar1Gautam Aditya2University of CalcuttaUniversity of CalcuttaUniversity of CalcuttaThe spread of freshwater invasive species through aquarium trade poses a threat to the ecosystem, economy and human health. The availability of the exotic freshwater gastropod mollusc, Planorbarius corneus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae), in pet shops in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, raises concern for its potential establishment as an invasive species. Assuming the role of the native predators as a potential biotic barrier for invasion, observations on the predation pattern of the malacophagous leech, Glossiphonia weberi (Blanchard, 1897) (Clitellata: Glossiphoniidae) against P. corneus was made in single as well as in combination with the native snail Indoplanorbis exustus (Deshayes, 1834) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae). Using varying size classes and densities of P. corneus, the predation potential of G. weberi was estimated after a 24 hour period. In another set of experiments, the predation of G. weberi against the snail P. corneus was observed in the presence of I. exustus under four different habitat conditions. The purpose was to justify - (1) the effect of conspecific and heterospecific conditions of the prey availability and (2) the effect of habitat complexity on the predatory efficacy of G. weberi. The results indicated that G. weberi consumed varied numbers of P. corneus, depending on the size and the densities of the prey and predator. Although the prey heterogeneity and complex habitats caused significant reduction of predation on both of the prey species, G. weberi significantly preferred P. corneus over I. exustus in open (P < 0.0001), macrophyte (P = 0.002) and pebbles and macrophyte containing habitats (P < 0.0001). Apparently, G. weberi preferred the exotic snail P. corneus in presence of alternative prey snail I. exustus, under different habitat conditions. Therefore, G. weberi may act as a significant biotic resistance against the colonization and establishment of P. corneus in the Indian context. However, further studies including the multiple prey and predators are required to ascertain the food web level impact of the exotic snail P. corneus in invaded freshwater ecosystems.https://journals.ku.edu/EuroJEcol/article/view/13693Invasive speciesPlanorbarius corneusIndoplanorbis exustusGlossiphonia weberihabitat complexityprey preference |
| spellingShingle | Pranesh Paul Rupsha Karmakar Gautam Aditya Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment? European Journal of Ecology Invasive species Planorbarius corneus Indoplanorbis exustus Glossiphonia weberi habitat complexity prey preference |
| title | Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment? |
| title_full | Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment? |
| title_fullStr | Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment? |
| title_short | Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment? |
| title_sort | choosing exotic over the familiar taste habitat specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment |
| topic | Invasive species Planorbarius corneus Indoplanorbis exustus Glossiphonia weberi habitat complexity prey preference |
| url | https://journals.ku.edu/EuroJEcol/article/view/13693 |
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