Freshwater gastropods of the western part of the Kola Peninsula and northern Karelia (northern Europe)

Abstract

The species composition and distribution of freshwater gastropods in the western part of the Kola Peninsula and northern Karelia has been studied. The explored region lies in the far north of Europe and covers several landscape zones: from the northern taiga to the tundra. In sum, seventeen species were found, for each of them the distribution maps and photographs of intraspecific forms of conchological variability are presented. The taxonomic remarks are also given when appropriate. Gyraulus acronicus (Planorbidae) and Ampullacena balthica (Lymnaeidae) are the most common species in the studied region. Two species ( Ampullacena balthica and Galba truncatula ) have been recorded in the Barents Sea islands off the Kola Peninsula. A single non-indigenous species, Physella acuta (Physidae) has been registered in the studied territory. Based on the results of a comparison of the faunas of gastropods from various areas within the whole territory studied and other regions of northern Europe and Western Siberia, it has been shown that the most dramatic reduction in the species composition occurs during the transition from taiga to tundra landscapes.

The Influence of Salinity Gradient and Island Isolation on Fauna Composition and Structure of Aquatic Invertebrate Communities of the Shantar Islands (Khabarovsk Krai)

“…The decrease in the number of mollusk species in water bodies in the northern taiga and tundra regions is a widely acknowledged phenomenon. This is primarily attributed to the rising acidity and decline in mineral levels of the water bodies, coupled with a reduction in the food sources for mollusks [110,115]. Indeed, according to our data, the acidity of the environment increases significantly from Lake Bolon (mean pH = 7.18) [16] to the area of the Shantar Islands (mean pH = 6.46).…”

“…A crucial factor is the low average summer temperatures that limit the species richness of Cladocera [32,109]. Another factor is the decrease in the diversity of microhabitats and available organic matter for organisms in the water bodies of the northern taiga and tundra compared to the mixed forest zone [110,111].…”