Exploring the Ecology of the Endemic Jackson Lake Spring Snail: Distributions and Interactions with the Invasive New Zealand Mud Snail

Abstract

Endemic species make a unique contribution to global biodiversity by only existing in one or a few locations. Unfortunately, because of their limited range, endemic species are particularly susceptible to extinction from a range of disturbances, whether anthropogenic or natural. The introduction of non-native species can disrupt community interactions and accelerate extinctions for narrowly endemic species by competing with and/or preying upon native species. On a global scale, community interactions between invasive and native species have changed current patterns of biodiversity and will continue to influence the distribution of biodiversity well into the future.