Food of Slugs in Mixed Deciduous Woodland

Abstract

The palatability of food to 8 species of slug characteristic of lowland woodland on boulder clay soils, is discussed. Faecal analyses show that all 8 species feed largely on plant material but seasonal variations are important and reflect changing food availability. Food palatability experiments suggest that there is a low specificity in the choice of 6 of the slug species but this, together with feeding zone separation, may be sufficient to explain niche separation. The role of slugs as detritivores in woodlands is discussed.