MEIOFAUNA IN TROPICAL MONTANE STREAMS: BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS REGULATING COMMUNITIES
MEIOFAUNA IN TROPICAL MONTANE STREAMS: BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS REGULATING COMMUNITIES
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DOI：
10.15446/abc.v28n2.103379
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发表时间：
2023-05
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
J. Santiago-Vera;Alonso Ramírez
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
J. Santiago-Vera;Alonso Ramírez
小动物是一组异养生物，比大型无脊椎动物小，但比微型动物大，以类群为特征，如无脊椎变形虫、纤毛虫和线虫。它们是细菌、资源和大型无脊椎动物之间的纽带。然而，对热带轻动物的研究很少；因此，我们的目标是表征小区系群落的组成和丰度，并评估控制这些群落动态的潜在环境变量。在波多黎各El Yunque国家森林的Quebrada Prieta进行了为期8个月的小型动物取样。对12个水塘进行了采样，收集了流量、沉积物特征和生物变量等数据。共鉴定出62种小动物形态，以线虫为主，其次是无足变形虫。菌食动物和腐食动物在群落中占主导地位。小动物丰度与流量呈负相关，与粗砂、硝酸盐和大型无脊椎动物丰度呈正相关。克布拉达·普雷塔的小型动物组成与温带溪流的组成相似，至少在主要的小型动物群中是这样。然而，Quebrada Prieta的社区以遗嘱变形虫为主。相比之下，温带溪流通常以轮虫和线虫为主。非生物和生物变量对波多黎各源溪流中的小型动物群落都很重要。
Meiofauna is a group of heterotrophic organisms smaller than macroinvertebrates but larger than microfauna and characterized by groups such as testate amoebae, ciliates, and nematodes. They are a link between bacteria and resources and macroinvertebrates. However, tropical meiofauna is poorly studied; thus, our goal was to characterize meiofaunal community composition and abundance and assess potential environmental variables controlling these community dynamics. Monthly samplings of meiofauna were conducted for eight months in Quebrada Prieta, El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico. Sampling was made in 12 pools, and data on discharge, sediment characteristics, and biotic variables were also collected. A total of 62 meiofaunal morphospecies were identified, with nematodes dominating the community, followed by testate amoebae. Bacterivores and detritivores taxa dominated the community. Meiofaunal abundance was negatively related to discharge and positively to the percentage of coarse sand, nitrate, and macroinvertebrate abundance. The composition of meiofauna in Quebrada Prieta is like the composition reported for temperate streams, at least in major meiofaunal groups present. However, the community in Quebrada Prieta was dominated by testate amoebae. In contrast, temperate streams are often dominated by rotifers and nematodes. Both abiotic and biotic variables are important for meiofaunal communities in the headwater streams in Puerto Rico.