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The Pomacea Project was conceived in 2005 as an information vehicle to support the needs of natural resource agencies that see the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) as a barometer of Florida wetland ecosystem health. The Pomacea Project was incorporated in 2008 and was granted 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status in 2009. Our organization has been funded to take the lead on developing a document to summarize available information on apple snails, snail kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis), and other snail predators, including management recomendations to improve habitat conditions for these species. This website will complement the document (slated for completion in 2012) and will provide immediate access to background information on apple snail ecology, as well as status and trends of their populations in Florida. We will continue to expand the information in the website as we receive contributions and funding for this purpose.
The Florida apple snail gained attention as the nearly exclusive prey for the endangered snail kite, although many other wetland predators consume them. Given their dietary specialty, management concerns (especially water management) over kites logically must include a focus on snails. However, surprisingly little information on snail ecology existed for the first 30 years following the kite’s 1967 listing as an endangered species. The Florida snail kite population has steadily declined in the last 10 years, and the number of inquires regarding kite (and snail) conservation measures has risen dramatically. Stakeholders for conservation issues include several federal and state agencies, as well as all those who continue to appreciate the wetland fauna of Florida.
Much of the recent information on apple snail ecology, especially the quantitative relationships between habitat and water management impacts on snails, evolved from Phil Darby’s research program at the University of West Florida (UWF). Part of the impetus to establish The Pomacea Project came from Dr. Darby, who wanted to provide conservation and management information pertinent to the immediate needs of natural resource managers and the genereal public. There are a growing number of biologists studying apple snails, and our website will report on their findings (and their contact information) as they become available.
Given their relative immobility and sensitivity to changes in water level and plant community structure, apple snails are an excellent indicator of local habitat conditions. Our increased understanding of snail response to habitat condition also supports our effort to use the apple snail as a model species to educate managers and the general public on the important relationship between fluctuating water level, altered hydrologic regime, and habitat condition for wetland fauna.
Development of the initial version of the website was funded through Phil Darby (UWF) by the Vero Beach Office (http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.