Undergraduate Capstone: Genetics of Freshwater Snails of Northern Maine
PI: Roe, Judith (Biology, UMaine Presque Isle)
Sector: Biology, Ecology
Partners: Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Abstract: There are ~40 species of freshwater snails in Maine. These snails have been inventoried occasionally over the past 150 years, and Ken Hotopp of Appalachian Conservation Biology has spearheaded a project to determine the current distribution of species in the Fish River Lakes system in northern Maine. One project goal is to compare this inventory with historical records of local naturalists who collected shells and documented observations in northern Maine lakes since the late 1800s. The presence of certain snail species can indicate the health of important natural resources.