Changes in the land mollusc fauna and soil chemistry in an inland district in southern Sweden

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Abstract
The land mollusc fauna and some abiotic soil variables were investigated at 20 forest sites SW of Vaxjo, southern Sweden, in 1964‐66 and again in 1987‐88 to evaluate possible effects of soil acidification, base cation leaching and nitrogen deposition The number of snail individuals decreased on average by 60% in herb‐rich deciduous forests and by 80% in spruce and herb‐poor oak forestsNesovitrea petronella, N hammonis, Euconulus fulvus, Vertigo substriata, Cochlicopa lubricaandClausilia bidentatawere most affected The calcium content in litter and surface layer of soil had decreased on average by 31%The snail number decrease is negatively correlated to base saturation In the lower range of calcium content the change is in good accordance with a significant regression line of abundance on calcium from 1964–66The snail abundance is positively correlated to base saturation, to soil moisture and probably also to nitrogen contentThe soil chemistry and the snail fauna of the coniferous forest sites are so severely affected that a continued acidification and base cation leaching might lead to extinction of the snail fauna in this kind of forest Problems, possibilities and use of results from retrospective studies on the soil fauna are discussed