title: Efficacy of non-toxic surfaces to reduce bioadhesion in terrestrial gastropods.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Invasive species are described as the greatest threat to biodiversity, after habitat destruction and climate change, potentially imposing economic impacts and indigenous species impairment. Commonly applied chemical controls present the potential for legacy contamination and non-target organism injury. This study investigated the effects of different substrates and novel topographical surfaces on the behavioral and mechanical associations of the terrestrial gastropod Otala lactea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gastropod preferentially aestivated on rough glass (61% increase, P < 0.01) relative to smooth glass but avoided a cross-patterned surface tessellation on silicone (82% reduction, P < 0.01) relative to smooth silicone. Significant deviations in turning behavior were found on the cross-patterned topographical surface and hydrophobic Teflon surfaces. The strongest correlation with gastropod adhesion strength to surfaces was found for surface elastic modulus (R = 0.88, P = 0.03), followed by hydrophobicity (R = - 0.71, P = 0.14), but no relationship with roughness (P = 0.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary data suggest surface roughness controlled aestivation behavior while elastic modulus (surface flexibility) controlled adhesion strength. In spite of greater adhesion to high-modulus materials, surface modulus was not a statistically significant controlling factor on gastropod aestivation preference. Understanding and exploiting the behavioral and mechanistic cues that organisms use while attaching to surfaces may lead to more environmentally benign control approaches.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory, Vicksburg, MS, USA. Alan.J.Kennedy@usace.army.mil
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Ravikumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.forename: Daphne D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Pappas
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Sara H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hendrix
authors.forename: Ronald H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Baney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004956:Estivation; D005898:Glass; D058865:Introduced Species; D008124:Locomotion; D010571:Pest Control / Q000379:methods; D012828:Silicones; D012908:Snails / Q000502:physiology*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones