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Abstracts of the International Congress Natural Cataclysms and Global Problems of the Modern Civilization. Istanbul, 19-21 September, 2011.

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THE INFLUENCE OF HORSERADISH (ARMORACIA RUSTICANA) AND COMMON COMFREY (SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE) UPON THE EDIBLE TERRESTRIAL SNAILS HELIX ASPERSA MULLER (CORNU ASPERSUM) DURING HEAT WAVE AND DROUGHT AS MEANS TO IMPROVE SNAIL FARMING TECHNOLOGIES Adrian Toader-Williams1, Roberto F. Nespolo 2 1

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University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Instituto de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile, [email protected]

Many perennial plants are often huge biomass producers capable of capturing the solar energy and producing valuable nutrients, plants that represent food source for many herbivores. Some plants have toxic properties to some animal species whereas to others they represent a priority in herbivores diet. We investigated the influence of Armoracia rusticana and Symphytum officinale upon the development of one of the most farmed and consumed terrestrial snails Helix aspersa Muller (Cornu aspersum), an excellent animal protein source for humans. The experiments took place in town of B i oara, Cluj County, Romania in the June August 2010 interval. The adult Helix aspersa Muller snail populations in the witness lots display a survival mean rate under extreme heat wave and drought conditions of just 6.50 ± 1.29 while the population in the experimental lots with Armoracia rusticana and Symphytum officinale presented higher survival mean rate of 14.00 ±0.82 and 16.75 ±1.50 respectively. As far as prolificacy, the witness enclosure batches accounted for 100 ±5.72 while the batches in experimental enclosures accounted for 248.00 ±8.29 and 140.00 ±5.10 respectively. We included the fitness component test, as an indicative of snails vitality and energetic condition, measuring their crawling mean speed and the mean heart bit rate of new born baby snails that have similar body weights. While the heart bit rate differences between the different batches were not significant, the mean speed presented significant differences directing us to the conclusion that plants such as Armoracia rusticana and Symphytum officinale not only represent valuable nutritive foods to Helix aspersa Muller adults and youngsters but also have protective values against stress conditions such as severe drought and prolonged heat waves. Such plants can represent an additional assurance for an efficient and ecological snail farming technology as an important source of quality animal protein for human consumption, capable to deliver a high quantity of animal protein from a given land surface, representing a venue towards sustainable agro-economical development. Key words: food selection, ecological farm management, sustainable development, agro-economics, bioeconomics, mollusk, Cornu aspersum, Helix aspersa, B i oara, ClujNapoca, helicicultura, energy budget, fitness component, performance, standard metabolic rate, survival, brown garden snail, HBR, heartbeat rate, crawling, speed.

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THE INFLUENCE OF SOME PERENNIAL PLANTS AND SEL-PLEX UPON THE DEVELOPMENT, RESISTANCE TO EXTREME CLIMATE CONDITIONS AND MEAT QUALITY OF THE EDIBLE TERRESTRIAL SNAILS AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT AND ECOLOGICAL SOUND ANIMAL PROTEIN SOURCE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Adrian Toader-Williams1, Aurel Sara1 , Mihai Radu Pop2, Maria Dana Bobit3 , Mihai Bentea1, Matei Marcel Duda1 1

University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2 Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Food Industry and Environmental Protection, Sibiu, Romania; 3National Institute of Research and Development for Potato and Sugar Beet Brasov, Romania, [email protected]

One of the most acute problems the humanity is confronting with in the light of Global warming is the availability of food to the ever-growing population. Quality foods respecting the food hygiene and offering the proper nutrients are becoming a scarce commodity. Considering the ecological impact that the agro-food production sector has upon the carbon footprint, we investigated the potential that farming of edible terrestrial snail Helix pomatia and Helix aspersa Muller (Cornu aspersum) can provide humanity the necessary animal protein while reducing the need for energy input. Observing the feeding behavior of snails preferred perennial plants were identified. From those plants we selected the species with the highest productivity of biomass and the most resistant to extreme conditions without the need for energy and human resources input to maintain them. Snails development, survival rate, prolificacy, meat quality and resistance during stress conditions such as hibernation and aestivation were measured while and after being exposed to different feeding conditions and extreme climate conditions such as high air temperature and draught. Temperatures such as 320 C 370 C were frequent and lasting for long periods during the 91 days of the experiments that were conducted from month of June to August 2010 in the town of Cr ie ti, Cluj County, Romania. Considering the fact that for Helix (sp) the edible part of the plants represents the leaves, the availability lipids and organic nitrogen expressed here as crude protein content in the leaves of seven different perennial plants have been determined. Alternative animal protein production can be integral part of a Global strategy as to implement the real value and non-monetary value concepts as basic reference to be the Global economy; a strategy that is aimed to provide non-monetary economical means for survival of human species while protecting the environment and sustaining overall life on Earth. The article presents just an aspect of an agricultural activity and it is intended to be viewed also as a brief and provoking model concept of efficient alternative means for producing food of the highest quality while using the natural resources at their potential without disrupting the ecosystems. Proper natural resources management makes the foundation of sustainable agro-economic development. Key words: Helix pomatia, Helix aspersa, brown garden snail, Cornu aspersum, Cluj-Napoca, helicicultura, food selection, ecological farm management, mollusk, performance, survival, non-monetary, organic foods, snail breeding, escargot, USAMV, economy, public health, food safety, food security, sustainable development, agroeconomics, bioeconomics.

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Natural Cataclysms and Global Problems of the Modern Civilization. Book of abstracts the of World Forum International Congress, September 19-21, Istanbul, Turkey - SWB, London, 2011, 219 p. Scientific editors: Prof. Dr. Franz Halberg ( USA); Prof. Dr. Elchin Khalilov, IC GEOCHANGE, (Germany);

Technical editors: Fuad Damirov (Azerbaijan); Natalya Ligina (Azerbaijan);

Corrector: Alianna Dukhanina (Azerbaijan); Illustrator: G. K. Oxridski (Bulgaria) © International Committee on Global Geological and Environmental Change GEOCHANGE

SWB International Publishing House Secretariat: 19 Kathleen Road, London, SW112JR, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Phone: + 44 207 760 633; Fax: + 44 207 691 9560; www.wosco.org; e-mail: [email protected]

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Date of an order: 02.06.2011 Order: 102/011 Size: 60 90/16 Offset printing

ISBN 978-9952-451-14-6

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