Land Snails as Bioindicators: Insights from Mount Hamiguitan, Philippines
This study presents the first comprehensive survey of land snails in Mount Hamiguitan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and ASEAN Heritage Park in the Philippines. A total of 20 species representing six families were recorded across five vegetation types, with the mossy forest emerging as the most biodiverse habitat. Diversity patterns were strongly influenced by environmental factors such as leaf litter depth, humidity, soil pH, and temperature, underscoring the sensitivity of land snails to microhabitat conditions. Generalist species dominated disturbed sites, while specialist taxa thrived in cooler, humid forests, highlighting the ecological role of land snails as indicators of environmental health. These findings provide valuable baseline data for conservation strategies, emphasizing the importance of protecting Mount Hamiguitan’s unique ecosystems and advancing research on understudied yet ecologically significant invertebrates.
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