Nematode Communities in Beech Forests in “Strandzha” Natural Park, Bulgaria
I. Species Composition

I. ILIEV1 and Zh. ILIEVA2
1 Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Dept. Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, BG – 1164 Sofia,Bulgaria
2 ISSAPP “N. Pushkarov”, Plant Protection Division, BG – 2230 Kostinbrod, Bulgaria

Abstract

ILIEV, I. and Zh. ILIEVA, 2014. Nematode Communities in Beech Forests in “Strandzha” Natural Park, Bulgaria. I. Species composition. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., Supplement 1: 143–150

 

A study on soil nematode communities was conducted in beech forest associations in two plant climatic zones designated as “rodhodendron area” and “high area”. Samples were collected in April, June, August, October and December, 2009, and April, June, August and October, 2010 from three sites: i) Protected Zone “Marina reka” and ii) Protected Zone “Bjalata prast” in the rhododendron area, and iii) “Propada” locality in the high area. The species composition, the trophic structure and the functional guilds of the communites were described. 134 nematode species from 38 families and 12 orders were identifi ed. The highest species diversity was established on site “Propada” (104 species), and the lowest on site “Bjalata prast” (49 species). Оnly 29 species were common for all three studied localities. Nineteen species and genus Kochinema represent new geografi c records for Bulgaria. The greatest species diversity was established for the guilds of bacterial feeders Bf2 and fungal feeders Fu2, followed by epidermal and root hair feeders Pf-e and omnivores Om4. Regardless of the rich undergrowth vegetation in the studied localities, few plant parasitic specimens and species were found and some of the taxonomic groups common for the temperate region were not represented.

Key words: soil nematode, species composition, trophic groups, functional guilds, Fagus orientalis
Abbreviations: Ba – bacterial feeders; Ba1, Ba2, Ba3 and Ba4 – bacterial feeders from functional guilds with c-p value 1, 2, 3 and 4; BP – Protected Zone “Bjalata prast”; Fu – fungal feeders; Fu2, Fu3, Fu4 and Fu5 – fungal feeders from functional guilds with c-p value 2, 3, 4 and 5; MR – Protected Zone “Marina reka”; Om – omnivorous; Om4 and Om5 – omnivorous from functional guilds with c-p value 4 and 5; Pf – plant feeders; Pf-a – sedentary endoparasites; Pf-d – ectoparasites; Pf-e – epidermal cell and root hair feeders; PR – locality “Propada”; Ca – predators; Ca2, Ca3, Ca4 and Ca5 – predators from functional guilds with c-p value 2, 3, 4 and 5

 

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