Land snail abundance and diversity across varied land-use types in and around Lamto Reserve, Central Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract This study aimed to examine the response of land snails to five land-use types (protected forest, unprotected forest, cocoa plantation, teak plantation, and fallow) in the Lamto Reserve and its surrounding rural area. Snails were sampled monthly and for one year, using a combination of direct search and litter sieving techniques on 20 plots (5 plots of 400m 2 /land-use type). A total of 5471 individuals belonging to 53 species and 10 families were sampled. Abundance peaked in the protected forest and was lowest in rural land-use types, while species richness was highest in forests and the cacao plantation and lowest in fallow. However, the Shannon index and species composition showed no significant variation, in contrast to evenness. Eighteen of the 53 recorded species were associated with land-use types, mostly in the protected forest. Snail abundance was mainly influenced by canopy cover, soil calcium, and sand content, with a marked seasonal effect peaking during the rainy season. Canopy cover and litter depth emerged as the main determinants of diversity indices. Land-use changes significantly impact snail communities, underscoring the need for balanced conservation land management in tropical ecosystems.