Thermal stress and global warming

The Theba Survey

The Theba Survey is an initiative of the Universities of Tübingen and Le Havre, which aims to record the distribution of different pigmentation patterns of a model species, Theba pisana, throughout Europe and to simulate expected changes in this respect in the process of global climate change.

detailed project description

Press report:

Schäfer T (text), Köhler H-R (photos): Survival of the brightest. attempto!

The Hot Snail Project

The Hot Snail Project: Mechanisms of heat tolerance in Mediterranean land snails and implications on phenotypic variance. DFG projects KO 1978/5-1 and KO 1978/5-3. In association with the Twinning Project: Thermal flows, thermodynamics, and ecophysiological consequences of high temperature in Mediterranean land snails, Tübingen University.

Key publications:

Köhler H-R, Capowiez Y, Mazzia C, Eckstein H, Kaczmarek N, Bilton MC, Burmester JKY, Capowiez L, Chueca LJ, Favilli L, Florit Gomila J, Manganelli G, Mazzuca S, Moreno-Rueda G, Peschke K, Piro A, Quintana Cardona J, Sawallich L, Staikou AE, Thomassen HA, Triebskorn R (2020): Experimental simulation of environmental warming selects against pigmented morphs of land snails. Ecology and Evolution 2020; 00:1-20
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7002
Tull T, Schmidt D, Köhler H-R (2020): Role of ambient wavelength, shell size and pigmentation intensity in the heating of Mediterranean Theba pisana (Eupulmonata: Helicidae). Journal of Molluscan Studies 86 (3): 249-253.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyaa006
Schweizer M, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2019): Snails in the sun: strategies of terrestrial gastropods to cope with hot and dry conditions. Ecology & Evolution 9: 12940-12960.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5607
Knigge T, Di Lellis MA, Monsinjon T, Köhler H-R (2017): Relevance of body size and shell colouration for thermal absorption and heat loss in white garden snails, Theba pisana (Helicidae), from Northern France. Journal of Thermal Biology 69: 54-63.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.06.001
Dieterich A, Troschinski S, Schwarz S, Di Lellis MA, Henneberg A, Fischbach U, Ludwig M, Gärtner U, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2015): Hsp70 and lipid peroxide levels following heat stress in Xeropicta derbentina (Krynicki 1836) (Gastropoda, Pulmonata) with regard to different colour morphs. Cell Stress and Chaperones 20(1): 159-168.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12192-014-0534-3
Troschinski S, Di Lellis MA, Sereda S, Hauffe T, Wilke T, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2014): Intraspecific variation in cellular and biochemical heat response strategies of Mediterranean Xeropicta derbentina [Pulmonata, Hygromiidae]. PLOS ONE 9(1): e86613.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0086613
Di Lellis MA, Sereda S, Geißler A, Picot A, Arnold P, Lang S, Troschinski S, Dieterich A, Hauffe T, Capowiez Y, Mazzia C, Knigge T, Monsinjon T, Krais S, Wilke T, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2014): Phenotypic diversity, population structure, and stress protein-based capacitoring in populations of Xeropicta derbentina, a heat-tolerant land snail species. Cell Stress and Chaperones 19(6): 791-800.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12192-014-0503-x
Troschinski S, Dieterich A, Krais S, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2014): Antioxidant defense and stress protein induction following heat stress in the Mediterranean snail Xeropicta derbentina [Pulmonata, Hygromiidae]. The Journal of Experimental Biology 217: 4399-4405.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.113167
Dieterich A, Di Lellis MA, Troschinski S, Fischbach U, Ludwig M, Gärtner U, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2014): Strategien zur Vermeidung von Schäden durch Hitze: Feldstudien und Laborversuche mit südfranzösischen Schnecken der Art Xeropicta derbentina (Krynicki 1836). Mitt. Dtsch. Malokozool. Ges. 92: 13-18.
Dieterich A, Fischbach U, Ludwig M, Di Lellis MA, Troschinski S, Gärtner U, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2013): Daily and seasonal changes in heat exposure and the Hsp70 level of individuals from a field population of Xeropicta derbentina (Krynicki 1836) (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae) in Southern France. Cell Stress and Chaperones 18(4): 405-414.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12192-012-0393-8
Köhler H-R, Schultz C, Scheil AE, Triebskorn R, Seifan M, Di Lellis MA (2013): Historic data analysis reveals ambient temperature as a source of phenotypic variation in populations of the land snail Theba pisana. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 109(1): 241–256.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bij.12035
Scheil AE, Hilsmann S, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R, (2013): Shell colour polymorphism, injuries and immune defense in three helicid snail species, Cepaea hortensis, Theba pisana and Cornu aspersum maximum. Results in Immunology 3: 73-78.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rinim.2013.06.002
Scheil AE, Gärtner U, Köhler H-R (2012): Colour polymorphism and thermal capacities in Theba pisana (O.F. Müller 1774). Journal of Thermal Biology 37: 462-467
online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2012.03.006
Di Lellis MA, Seifan M, Troschinski S, Mazzia C, Capowiez Y, Triebskorn R, Köhler H-R (2012): Solar radiation stress in climbing snails: behavioural and intrinsic features define the Hsp70 level in natural populations of Xeropicta derbentina (Pulmonata). Cell Stress and Chaperones 17(6): 717-727.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12192-012-0344-4
Scheil AE, Scheil V, Triebskorn R, Capowiez Y, Mazzia C, Köhler H-R (2012): Shell colouration and antioxidant defence capacity in Theba pisana (O.F. Müller, 1774). Molluscan Research 32(3): 132–136.
Online available at: http://www.mapress.com/mr/content/v32/2012f/n3p136.htm
Scheil AE, Köhler H-R, Triebskorn R (2011): Heat tolerance and recovery in Mediterranean land snails after pre-exposure in the field. Journal of Molluscan Studies 77: 165-174.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyr003