CLASSIFICATION OF TERRESTRIAL MOLLUSKS BY ECOLOGICAL GROUPS

Аннотация

The ecological characteristics of terrestrial mollusks play a crucial role in understanding their biological traits and habitat preferences. This study reviews the ecological classification of terrestrial mollusks, highlighting hygrobionts, xerobionts, and xerohygrobionts based on proximity to water bodies and biotope conditions. The influence of abiotic factors such as temperature, humidity, and wind, alongside biotic factors including plants, fungi, and microorganisms, is considered. Food sources, particularly plants, significantly determine the distribution of mollusks across ecological groups. The study also considers feeding strategies, with Pulmonata representatives classified into eight groups: detritophages, micromycophages, macromycophages, lichenophages, phytophages, oligoxylophages, malacophages, and polyphages. Examples from families Pupillina, Pyramidulidae, Buliminidae, Hygromiidae, and Succineida demonstrate the relationship between diet, habitat preference, and ecological grouping. Keywords: Terrestrial mollusks, ecological classification, hygrobionts, xerobionts, xerohygrobionts, Pulmonata, feeding strategies, biotic and abiotic factors. Аннотация. Экологические особенности наземных моллюсков имеют ключевое значение для понимания их биологических характеристик и предпочтений местообитаний. В исследовании рассматривается экологическая классификация наземных моллюсков, выделяются гигробионты, ксеробионты и ксерогигробионты в зависимости от близости к водоемам и условий биотопа. Учитывается влияние абиотических факторов, таких как температура, влажность и ветер, а также биотических факторов, включая растения, грибы и микроорганизмы. Источники питания, особенно растения, существенно определяют распределение моллюсков по экологическим группам. Рассматриваются стратегии питания представителей Pulmonata, которые делятся на восемь групп: детритофаги, микромикофаги, макромикофаги, лишайникофаги, фитофаги, олигоксилофаги, малакофаги и полифаги. Примеры из семейств Pupillina, Pyramidulidae, Buliminidae, Hygromiidae и Succineida демонстрируют связь между рационом, предпочтениями местообитания и экологической классификацией. Ключевые слова: Наземные моллюски, экологическая классификация, гигробионты, ксеробионты, ксерогигробионты, Pulmonata, стратегии питания, биотические и абиотические факторы. Studying the ecological characteristics of terrestrial mollusks is of particular importance, as it helps reveal many aspects of their biological traits. The ecology of terrestrial mollusks in Uzbekistan has been investigated by P.P. Arkhangelskiy [1], I.M. Likharev and E.S. Rammelmeyer [2], A.A. Schileyko [3, 4], I.M. Likharev and A.Y. Viktor [5], Z.I. Izzatullaev [6], A. Pazilov and D.A. Azimov [7], as well as A. Pazilov and other researchers. Despite the extensive study of the ecological characteristics of terrestrial mollusks, the use of certain ecological terms remains a matter of debate to this day. Many malacologists consider it appropriate to apply terms such as xerophilous, mesophilous, psychrophilous, and 529 ResearchBib IF - 11.01, ISSN: 3030-3753, Volume 2 Issue 12 xeromesophilous to terrestrial mollusks. A. Schileyko [3], viewing hygrophily as a primary trait for all representatives of the superfamily Helicoidea, also regards the use of the above-mentioned terms as justified. K.K. Uvalieva [8] considers the use of the term xerophilous for mollusks inhabiting arid biotopes to be conditional. She includes so-called xerophiles within the mesophilous group. According to her, although these mollusks live in dry environments, their main vital processes occur during periods of precipitation. A. Pazilov and D.A. Azimov [8], taking into account the moisture-loving nature inherent to all terrestrial mollusks, regard the terms xerobiont, mesobiont, and psychrobiont as more appropriate for classification. These terms were first applied to terrestrial mollusks by E.V. Shikov and A.A. Baydashnikov. Taking into account the considerations outlined above, we classified all terrestrial mollusks into a single major ecological group – hygrophiles. This approach is supported by the viewpoint of A. Schileyko [3] mentioned earlier. The subsequent subdivision of terrestrial mollusks into more specific ecological groups should therefore begin with this fundamental term. In subdividing mollusks into more specific ecological groups, the approach used by E.V. Shikov – based on the biotopic distribution of terrestrial mollusks relative to water bodies – was taken as a reference. However, according to our classification, the species distribution does not correspond to Shikov’s scheme. This discrepancy can be attributed to significant differences in the climates and landscape diversity between Uzbekistan and Russia. Accordingly, we propose the following ecological classification for terrestrial mollusks: 1.Hygrobionts – this ecological group includes all mollusks inhabiting areas near water bodies. 2.Xerobionts – this group compri