Impact of biological soil crusts and desert plants on soil microfaunal community composition
Plant and Soil
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Abstract
Carbon and nitrogen are supplied by a variety of sources in the desert food web; both vascular and non-vascular plants and cyanobacteria supply carbon, and cyanobacteria and plant-associated rhizosphere bacteria are sources of biological nitrogen fixation. The objective of this study was to compare the relative influence of vascular plants and biological soil crusts on desert soil nematode and protozoan abundance and community composition. In the first experiment, biological soil crusts were removed by physical trampling. Treatments with crust removed had fewer nematodes and a greater relative ratio of bacterivores to microphytophages than treatments with intact crust. However, protozoa composition was similar with or without the presence of crusts. In a second experiment, nematode community composition was characterized along a spatial gradient away from stems of grasses or shrubs. Although nematodes generally occurred in increasing abundance nearer to plant stems, some genera (such as the enrichment-type Panagrolaimus) increased disproportionately more than others (such as the stress-tolerant Acromoldavicus). We propose that the impact of biological soil crusts and desert plants on soil microfauna, as reflected in the community composition of microbivorous nematodes, is a combination of carbon input, microclimate amelioration, and altered soil hydrology. ?? Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2009.
Suggested Citation
Darby, B., Neher, D., and Belnap, J., 2010, Impact of biological soil crusts and desert plants on soil microfaunal community composition: Plant and Soil, v. 328, no. 1, p. 421-431, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0122-y.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Impact of biological soil crusts and desert plants on soil microfaunal community composition |
| Series title | Plant and Soil |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11104-009-0122-y |
| Volume | 328 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication Date | July 31, 2009 |
| Year Published | 2010 |
| Language | English |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Plant and Soil |
| First page | 421 |
| Last page | 431 |