Land snails from subterranean traps exposed in a forested scree slope (Western Carpathians, Slovakia)

Abstract

Forested scree slopes represent one of the types of shallow subterranean habitats characterised by several unique traits, such as close contact with the soil surface, better availability of organic matter, and lower seasonal fluctuations in microclimate. Relatively varied assemblages of gastropods were collected using a series of subterranean traps filled with formaldehyde or ethylene glycol, exposed inside a forested scree slope at depths from 5 to 95 cm in the Natural Nature Reserve Sivec (eastern Slovakia). The number of gastropods was smaller compared to arthropods. The material of 120 specimens consisted of 22 gastropod species representing 15 families. Almost 87% of the specimens were captured near the soil surface (5– 15 cm) and only few of them penetrated deeper. Ethylene glycol was more effective than formaldehyde in collecting gastropods. No subterranean species were found. Forest species predominated over some hygrophilous and petrophilous ones.