Land snail assemblages along altitudinal gradients on Mount Semeru, the highest montane forest in Java, Indonesia.

This article focuses on the diversity and environmental determinants of land snail assemblages on Mount Semeru, the highest volcanic mountain in Java, Indonesia. Researchers surveyed 40 plots across altitudinal gradients from 800 to 2,400 meters above sea level, collecting 788 land snail individuals representing 22 species from 14 families, including five species endemic to Java and one introduced species, Bradybaena similaris, found above 2,000 m. Species richness exhibited a unimodal pattern with altitude, peaking at 1,201–1,600 m, and was influenced by environmental factors such as altitude, temperature, precipitation, land use type, and soil pH, while human impact showed no significant effect. The study highlights the need for conservation efforts at higher altitudes (2,001–2,400 m) to protect endemic species and manage invasive species within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.