Discussion

This research set out with the specific goal of creating an exhaustive list of the species of freshwater gastropods found on the White Memorial Conservation property. In addition this study gathered more information on habitats and ecological factors that snails favor. The reasoning behind this research was that previous studies had been performed 30 years in the past and required updating. Researches in Indiana recently recognized this problem and began the process of creating more comprehensive and modern field guides relevant to their own region of the United States (Pyron et al. 2008). 

 The information gathered from this research illustrated possible needs for more in depth observations. 16 total species were documented on White Memorial Property, 5 more than the species from the first two surveys conducted on the property combined as seen in Table 1. However despite there being 16 total species none of those found were qualified as being anything but G5 by the Nature Conservancy and the AFS endangered species committee (Johnson et al. 2013) as shown in Table 2. This raises the question as to why only generalists are being found on a property that posses many unique habitat ranges. Possible answers include the proximity of watersheds on the property to one another encouraging competition between the snail species. Additionally on the White Memorials largest water body there is a large amount of boat traffic that could possibly disturb any niches that may have existed within the water body. This amount of boat traffic also has the capabilities of introducing new species and taking species found in white memorial water bodies to new locations (Havel 2011). 

This research serves as a stepping-stone for future investigations into the danger of man-made phenomenon. Reports released show that dam construction is extremely detrimental to snails both in during their construction and afterwards in snails’ ability to reproduce (March et al. 2003). With over 75,000 dams in the U.S. alone this could have far reaching impacts. Of the snails found within the U.S. it is estimated that 9% have already gone extinct and 48% of the current snails species found are on conservation watch lists (Johnson 2009). This data is extremely worrying for a variety of reasons. With hardening shorelines along white memorials largest water body, Bantam Lake, and discussions of future dredging occurring in this water body the implication to snail populations could be potentially disastrous.

During the course of this investigation numerous freshwater snail species were identified. The first two surveys performed on the property found and identified 11 total species. In addition to nine out of eleven of those species being identified again during this survey, 5 more species were found and identified. The previous works had only identified families of 2 snail species and those families were found and the snails were fully identified. These species suggest good diversity on the property despite being generalist organisms.

The research performed during this survey will help guide future students and other researches looking to examine snail populations. Furthermore with much of the species identification being done, it should allow for more in depth investigations to be performed on the property by future researchers.