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Investigating the effects of temperature, ionomic profiles, and periphyton quality on the growth and development of the Great Ramshorn Snail (Planorbarius corneus)
Blessant, McKenna Lindstrom, Lin Russell, Molly
Blessant, McKenna
Lindstrom, Lin
Russell, Molly
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2026
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Blessant, M., Lindstrom, L., Russell, M., & Luhring, T. M. Investigating the effects of temperature, ionomic profiles, and periphyton quality on the growth and development of the Great Ramshorn Snail (Planorbarius corneus). -- FYRE in STEM Showcase, 2026.
Abstract
Intermittent streams are streams that do not stay wet all year long. This is a worldwide phenomenon, but intermittent streams are increasingly prevalent in Kansas. Around 86% of Kansas waterways are intermittent, and many organisms call these intermittent streams home, such as the aquatic snail. Drying and re-wetting periods in intermittent streams can reshape the aquatic ionome of the environment. The ionome is a group of around 25 elements essential for life. Although it is not widely studied in relation to animals, it plays a vital role in their survival. Usually carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous are the main elements looked at in animals, however an element such as calcium, which is used to grow a shell, is very important for a snail to have. Aquatic snails are high in density in intermittent streams, and they play a big role in the balance of the ecosystem, so by understanding what kinds of changes snails may go through during re-wetting periods, we can infer how other organisms in the same environment, and the environment itself, will react. To do so, we will be using a mix of field based mesocosms, controlled semi-natural environments, and lab based environmental chambers to test the growth and development of snails across various temperatures and water refill times, as well as mapping the ionome of the snail at different periods in their development. Growth will be measured through shell and body length, while development is measured by the whorls on the shell and the time it takes to reach sexual maturity. Our simulations will not only illustrate the relationship between temperature and aquatic snail growth and development, but also how aquatic snails react to the changes in the aquatic ionome of the environment around them.
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Poster and abstract presented at the FYRE in STEM Showcase, 2026.
Research project completed at the Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University.
Research project completed at the Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University.
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Wichita State University
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FYRE in STEM 2026