The Influence of Hydrology and Associated Habitat Structure on Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Apple Snail Abundance and Recruitment
Darby P, Karunaratne L, Bennetts R. 2005. The Influence of Hydrology and Associated Habitat Structure on Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Apple Snail Abundance and Recruitment. Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative. RES01-7. Everglades National Park/South Florida Natural Resources Center
Final Report. The Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa, is a common resident of the freshwater Everglades, and forms an important link in the food web of the marsh. In particular, P. paludosa is nearly the exclusive prey of the federally endangered Everglades Snail Kite. Prior to this investigation, little was known regarding the abundance and distribution of this snail relative to hydrology and habitat structure. Among other findings, the project demonstrates that this snail prefers wetlands that support emergent vegetation over areas dominated by fragrant waterlily, Nymphaea odorata. This finding is further corroborated through observations made of foraging Snail Kites. Darby, Philip, Laksiri B. Karunaratne, and Robert E. Bennetts. 2005. The influence of hydrology and associated habitat structure on spatial and temporal patterns of apple snail abundance and recruitment. Final Report submitted to the National Park Service (NPS) and Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative. NPS Interagency Agreement with the US Geological Survey. Everglades National Park, Homestead, Florida. Bennetts, Robert E., Wiley E. Kitchens, and Victoria J. Dreitz. Influence of an extreme high water event on survival, reproduction, and distribution of snail kites in Florida, USA. Wetlands 22(2):366-373. Darby, Philip, Robert E. Bennetts, Jason D. Croop, Patricia L. Valentine-Darby, and Wiley E. Kitchens. 1999. A comparison of sampling techniques for quantifying abundance of the Florida Apple Snail (Pomacea paludosa Say). Journal of Malacological Studies 65:195-208. Darby, Philip C., Robert E. Bennetts, Steven J. Miller, and H. Franklin Percival. 2002. Movements of a Florida apple snail in relation to water levels and drying events. Wetlands 22(3):489-498. Darby, Philip C., Patricia L. Valentine-Darby, H. Franklin Percival, and Wiley M. Kitchens. 2001. Collecting Florida Applesnails (Pomacea paludosa) from wetland habitats using funnel traps. Wetlands 21(2):308-311.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Darby, Philip; Karunaratne, Laksiri; Bennetts, Robert
- Date of Issue
- 2005-04
- Units
- EVER
- Keywords
- Apple Snail, Assessment, CESI, Endangered, everglades, Food Webs, Research, Restoration, Trophic Webs
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Invertebrates , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | At-risk Biota | T&E Species and Communities