Dietary effects on fitness in captive-reared Hawaiian tree snails.

ABSTRACT: The native terrestrial snail fauna of the Hawaiian Islands faces numerous threats that have led to severe range reductions, population declines, and extinction of species. With the continued declines of many wild populations, a crucial component of preserving Hawaiian terrestrial snail biodiversity is through captive rearing programs, like that implemented by the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources Snail Extinction Prevention Program. Rare and endangered tree snails in the family Achatinellidae, which feed on epiphytic microbial communities, are maintained in captivity with a diet that includes native vegetation brought in from nearby forests, as well as a cultured fungus originally isolated from native host trees. Recent mortality events in lab populations have been attribute

SUBMITTER: Strouse E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8466071 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature