Biomass and respiration of nematode populations in two moss communities at Signy Island, maritime Antarctic

Caldwell, J.R.. 1981 Biomass and respiration of nematode populations in two moss communities at Signy Island, maritime Antarctic. Oikos, 37 (2). 160-166. https://doi.org/10.2307/3544460

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3544460

Abstract/Summary

1. The biomasses of free-living soil nematodes from a moss turf and a moss carpet, two contrasting bryophyte ecosystems in the maritime Antarctic, are analysed and compared with other tundra studies. 2. The mean annual live-weight biomass of nematodes from the moss turf ranged from 105 to 355 mg m-2, that from the moss carpet showed less variation being from 222 to 236 mg m-2. 3. Seasonal variations from a low winter biomass to a high summer value are explained by seasonal fluctuations in soil temperature. 4. Total annual nematode population respiration at the two sites was very similar, being 1726.1 μl O2 m-2 d-1 in the moss turf and 1761.0 μl O2 m-2 d-1 in the moss carpet. 5. Nematodes form an important part of the soil fauna and are responsible for 16% and 35% of the metazoan respiration in the moss turf and carpet respectively. 6. The short Antarctic summer and generally low temperatures limit nematode production to 0.95 and 1.12

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.2307/3544460
ISSN:	00301299
Date made live:	30 Jul 2019 10:23 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/524578

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.2307/3544460

ISSN:

00301299

Date made live:

30 Jul 2019 10:23 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/524578