Does Species Interference Play a Role in Habitat Preference of the Freshwater Snails Elimia

Habitat selection is an important mechanism for the determination of the realized niche, which may be influenced by factors such as nutrient availability or interference. This project explores the habitat selection and interactions of two freshwater snail species E. livescens and P.campanulata, found in Douglas Lake, Michigan. Substrate preference of each species was examined, both alone and in the presence of the other species. Our findings suggest that interference is occurring between the two snail species since the substrate preference of E. livescens changed in the presence of P. campanulata