Effects of Global Warming on the Distribution of Overwintering Pomacea canaliculata (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae) in Korea

The golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, is a freshwater snail native to tropical and subtropical South America. The species was introduced into Korea as a human food source in 1983 and was first applied as a weed control agent for the paddy fields in 1992. As the snail is well known as an environmentally friendly biological control agent for weeds, the area of cultivation in which the golden apple snail is used for biological control has been enlarged substantially each year. Currently, the species is observed in open water courses. It is possible that the snail may overwinter in these open water courses and may become a serious pest, as is already the case in many Asian countries. In this study, we determined the status of the overwintering golden apple snail based on a literature survey and investigated the potential distribution area of the snail, as a result from global warming in Korea. The potential distribution area of the overwintering golden apple snail would be enlarged under the influence of global warming; ranging from 45.5% of South Korea’s land area in the 2020s to 88.4% in the 2080s.