HR: 1330h
AN: NB33O-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Impacts of Urbanization on the Biodiversity of the Imperiled Snail Fauna (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia: Pleuroceridae) of the Cahaba River, Alabama, USA.
AU: * Tolley-Jordan, L
EM: tolle004@bama.ua.edu
AF: University of Alabama, Box 870206, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 United States
AU: Huryn, A
EM: huryn@bama.ua.edu
AF: University of Alabama, Box 870206, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 United States
AB: The conservation of the Pleuroceridae is of concern in the Mobile River Basin (MRB) since 31 of 38 extinct gastropod species from this drainage are pleurocerids. The fauna of the Cahaba River, as a global hot-spot for pleurocerid diversity, is of particular concern. Its flow is not regulated by dams, so its fauna has not been affected by habitat alteration due to impoundment like other major MRB tributaries. Ongoing urbanization within its watershed, however, is expected to have consequences for its snail fauna. A 1993 survey documented 23 pleurocerid species among 109 sites in the drainage. Changes in land cover from 1992 to 2004 were quantified for 10 of these. Five sites showed a 13-36% increase in urban land-cover; five showed no change. Elimia cahawbensis, E. carinifera, E. carinocostata, E. clara and Pleurocera vestita occurred among these sites during 1993 (S= 0-4 spp./site). A comparison of species occurrence in 1992 and 2005 showed no change in S at 6 sites, while three lost 1 species, and one lost 3 species. Reductions in S were not correlated with changes in land cover, however. Factors not directly correlated with urbanization may thus be contributing to losses of snail diversity in the MRB.
DE: 9901 NABS Student Award - Basic Research
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly