In this opening session we hope to set the scene for the rest of the meeting, starting with a talk by invited speaker, Dr Les Noble (University of Aberdeen, UK), on the increasingly important role of molecular biology in the study of molluscs and their interactions with Man. This will then be demonstrated by a presentation by Ciara Dodd (Cardiff University, UK) and co-workers on the application of molecular ecology techniques to the study of predation on slugs in agriculture. Integrated measures to control slugs is the theme of a talk by Prof David Glen (Styloma Research & Consulting, Cheddar, UK), combining the use of slug monitoring techniques with cultural controls.

The session also includes two talks on freshwater snails. Dr Christian Altaba (University of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca, Spain) will discuss the threats from pollution to these snails, many of which face extinction if action is not taken. Dr Yogeshkumar Naik (National University of Science & Technology, Ascot, Zimbabwe) highlights the potential of freshwater snails as biomarkers of chemical pollution.

The physiology of molluscs provides insights into the control of pests and vectors, species conservation and pollution monitoring. Steve Dungey (Environment Agency, Wallingford, UK) considers the implications of using aquatic snails to monitor an environmental oestrogen. Dr Jesus Tsurruka (University of the Basque Country, Spain) describes the massive redeployment of materials from the slug body wall during reproductive maturation. Villi Flari (Central Science Laboratory, York, UK) shows how combining potential molluscicides with a fusion protein may defeat a pest’s defences. Dr Tony Walker (Kingston University, UK) looks at how the immune system’s response to pathogens may reveal molecular targets for novel control methods. Finally, Dr Rita Triebskorn (Steinbeis-Transfer Center for Ecotoxicology and Ecophysiology, Rottenburg, Germany) shows how stress proteins provide a rapid and sensitive measure of the impact of pollutants, while histological studies give a better understanding of mode of action.

A wide ranging series of posters covering aspects linked to the Symposium sessions will be available for viewing for the duration of the Symposium. However, during this Poster Session, poster authors will be present to discuss their work and results, as well as handling any questions which may arise from delegates.

The poster presentations range from faunistic investigations in Sri Lanka, to applied topics on the two most important agricultural pest species in Europe. In the field of crop protection, alternative food sources will be covered. Biological control measurements in Croatia will feature, as well as a study of African plants and their repellent properties. A new technology for labelling slugs with dual isotopes will be discussed, whilst mollusc behaviour will be analysed using different video technologies. Further presentations will allow insight into impacts of transgenic crop technology and the distribution of molluscicides in the bodies of slugs.

SESSION 4
PROSPECTS FOR CONTROL

Slugs are major pests of a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops. Control continues to rely heavily on the use of molluscicidal bait pellets, although there has been some controversy over their side effects on non-target organisms. Dr Richard Meredith (Bayer CropScience, Cambridge, UK) and Dr Markus Bieri (Lonza, Basel, Switzerland) will each put the risks and benefits of molluscicide treatments into perspective. The suitability of caffeine as a potential new molluscicide will also be critically assessed by Louise Simms and Dr Michael Wilson (University of Aberdeen, UK). Dr André Chabert (Acta, Montluel, France) and colleagues from Bayer CropScience will describe a system to assess the risk of slug damage by means of a climate model and agronomic factors, which has been under test throughout France since 1999.

In recent years, aquatic snails have become serious pests of sewage treatment plants resulting in failure to remove ammonia from sewage effluent. Dr Jiaqian Jiang (University of Surrey, Guildford, UK) and colleagues from Thames Water and Canterbury Christ Church University College will describe a novel cost-effective waste-water treatment process which shows considerable promise as a way of overcoming this problem.

SESSION 5
BEHAVIOUR AND ECOLOGY

Knowledge of the behaviour and ecology of molluscs is essential to understand factors that influence their presence and abundance, and to achieve improved methods of biological and chemical control of pest species. This session will examine certain aspects of molluscan ecology and their behavioural responses to chemicals and predators.

The interactions between pest slugs and predatory beetles will be discussed by Dr Clare Armsworth (Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK) in the context of biological control, while Sally Howlett (University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) will examine the behavioural responses of slugs to molluscicidal pellets. Dr Angela Lush (South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, Australia) will present the behaviour and control of an introduced snail pest of citrus orchards. Dr Ibon Cancio (Euskal Herriko Universtatea, Bilbao, Spain) will examine the ability of Helix aspersa to tolerate metal contamination, including copper, at an abandoned mine, and Dr Claudia Gerard (Universite de Rennes, France) will discuss the relationship between a population of Potamopyrgus antipodarum in France, its environment and parasites.

This session will examine novel approaches to management of mollusc pests and how these approaches can be integrated with other measures to minimise pest damage.

Dr Megan Leyson (South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, Australia) will describe the release and establishment of Sarcophaga penicillata, an exotic biological control agent for the snail pest Cochlicella acuta. The use of an indigenous biological control, the nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita against slugs will be discussed by Albert Ester (Applied Plant Research, Lelystad, the Netherlands). Ahmed Ali (Cardiff University, UK) will present results from screening African plants for mollusc repellency. Ingo Schüder (University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) will consider the integrated management of slug and snail pests in ornamental nurseries and Dr Gordon Port (University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) will discuss the integrated control of slug damage in horticultural field crops.