Spatial distribution and trophic diversity of nematode populations under Acacia raddiana along a temperature gradient in the Negev Desert ecosystem

The aim of this study was to determine the spatial distribution and trophic diversity of free-living soil nematode populations in the most extreme xeric period, along a temperature gradient from the northern Negev Desert toward its southern edge, with mean annual temperature of 20-23°C and mean annual rainfall of 150-42 mm, respectively. Seventeen nematode taxa were identified, with bacterial feeding found to be dominant, with 52%, 24% and 12% at three stations, respectively. We found that when environmental temperatures reached high values, the influence of soil moisture and organic matter on the nematode population minimized, temperature being one of the factors determining community composition and structure.