Protistology 6 (3) 188-203 (2010) |
Effect of ecosystem type on soil heterotrophic flagellate communities under forest-steppe conditions |
Denis V. Tikhonenkov1, Yuri A. Mazei2 and Elena A. Embulaeva2 1 Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Russia
Summary The species diversity and patterns of soil heterotrophic flagellate community structure in the forest-steppe of the Middle Volga Region were investigated in accordance with the spatial heterogeneity of forest-steppe ecosystems. Fifty-three species and forms were identified. Eurybiontic Bodo designis (revealed in 100% of biotopes), Paraphysomonas sp. (100%), Spumella sp. (100%), Heteromita minima (94%), Phyllomitus apiculatus (88%), Ploeotia obliqua (88%), Heteromita globosa (82%), Goniomonas truncata (82%) were the most common species. Species richness of the genus Cercomonas was the highest. Communities could be divided into three groups by the species composition: i) from xerophytic grass and shrubby phytocenosis; ii) from meso-xerophytic pine forests and parvifoliate forests; iii) from mesophytic broad-leaved forests. The specificity of composition of heterotrophic flagellates increased with the decrease in the soil moisture and was reflected in the high diversity of amoeboid flagellates, which are well adapted to habitation on the surface of soil particles and in thin capillary spaces of dry soils. The study of general patterns of changes in community structure of soil protists in the “steppe-forest” gradient as well as in accordance with the secondary succession of forests after felling revealed rather homogeneous communities of heterotrophic flagellates in comparison with a very structured community of testate amoebae. Key words: heterotrophic flagellates, soil protozoa, protozoan community, grasslandwoodland transect, forest-steppe, Middle Volga Region Address for correspondence: Denis Tikhonenkov. Institute for Biology of Inland Waters Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Nekouzsky raion, Yaroslavskaya obl., 152742 Russia; e-mail: tikhon@ibiw.yaroslavl.ru or tikho-denis@yandex.ru |
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