Malacofauna on coal - ash settling basins comparison of a functional basin to a basin abandoned for 26 years

A composition of snail fauna in a functional coal-ash settling basin has been compared to that of a partly reclaimed coal-ash settling basin which had been abandoned for 26 years, using a nature reserve as a control. A total of 24 molluscan species were found at the control site, 21 species in the internal area of the abandoned settling basin and six species in the internal area of the functional settling basin. Numerous and relatively diverse malacofauna have become established on the abandoned coal ash settling basin, consisting mainly of high populations of a low number of widespread species.