The nematode ecology of a UK coastal saline lagoon system

Abstract

Nematode assemblage dynamics were studied with regard to variable environmental parameters, and in comparison to the lagoonal specialist macrofauna assemblage, between lagoons in a UK Special Area of Conservation.  It is shown the nematode assemblages are more sensitive to environmental change than the lagoonal community, but that this may reflect a greater diversity and abundance of nematodes.  Nematodes share essentially the same adaptive traits as lagoonal macrofauna and possibly, as a result of this, no specialist nematode species were identified.

Most nematode species were known from estuarine and marine environments, although some smaller morphological differences were found which could indicate the existence of eco-morphotypes. Further study of these nematodes would be necessary to establish differences at the species level.

Nematodes and macrofauna have similar distributions at the species level.  It is suggested that nematode assemblages will be a useful tool for monitoring the small lagoonal resource in the  UK.  Sampling effort, and therefore destructive sediment and faunal remove, will be reduced if the nematode fauna rather than macrofauna are monitored.

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