Communities of Soil Nematodes of Various Tundra Phytocenoses Differing in the Development Level of the Shrub Layer

Abstract

In the series of phytocenoses from low bush to large-bushy tundra (Vorkuta district, Republic of Komi), with an increase in the shrub layer, the structure of nematode communities changes, as does their number and diversity. Among the trophic groups, a change in the number of bacterio-, myco-, and phytotrophs corresponded to the general tendency. Predators showed the opposite trend, while the abundance of polytrophs did not differ much in the studied areas. Differences in nematode communities are associated with changes in the hydrothermal regimen and chemical properties of the soil. Ecological and faunistic indices, calculated based on data on the abundance and diversity of nematodes, indicate a low level of organic matter in the soil food network and an equal proportion of fungal and bacterial decomposition patterns. However, additional verification of the efficiency of these indices in tundra ecosystems is required.