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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Effect of Male Accessory Gland Products on Egg Laying in Gastropod Molluscs

Effect of Male Accessory Gland Products on Egg Laying in Gastropod Molluscs

Published on: June 22, 2014

Lichen endozoochory by snails.

Steffen Boch¹, Daniel Prati, Silke Werth

¹Institute of Plant Sciences, Botanical Garden, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. steffen.boch@ips.unibe.ch

|May 3, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Snails can disperse lichens! Studies show lichen fragments survive snail digestion and regenerate, revealing gastropods as overlooked dispersal vectors for these unique symbiotic organisms.

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Published on: March 15, 2016

Area of Science:

Ecology
Symbiosis
Mycology
Botany

Background:

Endozoochory is a key dispersal mechanism for seed plants, but its role in other plant taxa, like lichens, is largely unknown.
Lichens, symbiotic associations of fungi and algae, require intact propagules for successful dispersal, posing unique challenges for endozoochory.
The potential for lichen dispersal via ingestion and excretion by animals (endozoochory) has been historically overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the potential for endozoochorous dispersal of lichen fragments by common European gastropods (snails).
To determine if lichen fragments can survive passage through the digestive tracts of snails and subsequently regenerate.
To assess factors influencing lichen regeneration rates, including lichen species and snail species.

Main Methods:

Two foliose lichen species (Lobaria pulmonaria and Physcia adscendens) were fed to nine different snail species.
Fecal pellets from snails were analyzed morphologically to identify regenerated lichen fragments.
Molecular analysis confirmed the species identity of regenerated lichens from a subset of samples.

Main Results:

Lichen fragments of both L. pulmonaria (29.0%) and P. adscendens (40.9%) regenerated successfully after gut passage through snails.
Survival and regeneration rates varied between lichen species, with the generalist P. adscendens showing higher rates than the specialist L. pulmonaria.
Regeneration rates differed among snail species, with heavier snail species showing higher success rates.

Conclusions:

Gastropods are significant, yet previously unrecognized, vectors for lichen dispersal through endozoochory.
This finding challenges the traditional view of gastropods as solely detrimental to lichens, highlighting a potentially mutualistic interaction.
The study opens new avenues for research into lichen ecology, dispersal biology, and symbiotic interactions.