Abstract
We studied the distribution and abundance of nematodes in one of the most extreme terrestrial environments in the world, at Machu Picchu, King George Island, off the coast of Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. We can report that the nematode community structure under the two most common plant covers was composed of three to four species. These species were found to belong functionally to microbial and omnivore/predator feeding types. Abundances of each of the nematode species were found to be negatively correlated to soil water content, generally decreasing their abundance with increasing soil water content. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of moisture availability to the nematode community and its species composition in this Antarctic soil ecosystem.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 545-548 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Polar Biology |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2001 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgements We wish to thank Ing. Fernando Jimenez o f the Pontificia Catholic University, Lima, Peru, for his invitation to participate in the XIth Scientific Peruvian Expedition to Antarctica – Antar XI. Special thanks are due to the Israeli Fo reign Ministry and Mr. Alexander Ben-Zvi, for the constructive efforts and support which allowed Professor Steinberger to participate in this venture. This research was supported by the Peruvian CONCY-TEC (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia). Many thanks are due to the Peruvian Air Force, Marines and Army for the logistics of operating the expedition. Also special thanks are due to the Chief of the expedition, Colonel Marcial Garcia Blasquez who, together with Major Juan Patino, Chief of the Machu Picchu Station, made every effort to assist the research teams in undertaking the study.
Funding
Acknowledgements We wish to thank Ing. Fernando Jimenez o f the Pontificia Catholic University, Lima, Peru, for his invitation to participate in the XIth Scientific Peruvian Expedition to Antarctica – Antar XI. Special thanks are due to the Israeli Fo reign Ministry and Mr. Alexander Ben-Zvi, for the constructive efforts and support which allowed Professor Steinberger to participate in this venture. This research was supported by the Peruvian CONCY-TEC (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia). Many thanks are due to the Peruvian Air Force, Marines and Army for the logistics of operating the expedition. Also special thanks are due to the Chief of the expedition, Colonel Marcial Garcia Blasquez who, together with Major Juan Patino, Chief of the Machu Picchu Station, made every effort to assist the research teams in undertaking the study.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia | |
| Peruvian CONCY-TEC |
