Seasonal Variations in the Microclimate of Lymnaea truncatula Habitats

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Abstract
Variations in microclimate of 2 habitats of the snail, L. truncatula, the intermediate host of the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica were compared with weather conditions recorded on site or at nearby meteorological stations. Between April-Oct. monthly mean surface temperatures were higher then corresponding air temperatures; for the remainder of the year the reverse was true. Daily temperature range at surface was less than that at screen height, particularly during autumn and winter and temperature maxima on the habitats exceeded the corresponding maximum air temperatures only in spring and early summer when moisture content of surrounding pasture fell below field capacity. Soil surface moisture was not adequately described by any conventional measure of soil water content. An alternative visual method for estimation of soil surface moisture is discussed. Standard meteorological measurements provided misleading indices of the microclimate of L. truncatula habitats.

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