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Soil testate amoebae from sub-Antarctic Îles Crozet

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2004

SOFIE VINCKE
Affiliation:
University of Antwerp (campus Middelheim), Department of Biology, Unit of Polar Ecology, Limnology & Paleobiology, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
PIETER LEDEGANCK
Affiliation:
University of Antwerp (campus Middelheim), Department of Biology, Unit of Polar Ecology, Limnology & Paleobiology, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
LOUIS BEYENS
Affiliation:
University of Antwerp (campus Middelheim), Department of Biology, Unit of Polar Ecology, Limnology & Paleobiology, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
BART VAN DE VIJVER
Affiliation:
University of Antwerp (campus Middelheim), Department of Biology, Unit of Polar Ecology, Limnology & Paleobiology, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium

Abstract

An ecological study of the soil testate amoebae (Protozoa, Rhizopoda) communities on the sub-Antarctic island of Île de la Possession (Îles Crozet) revealed 65 taxa, belonging to 20 genera. Trinema lineare and Euglypha laevis were the most dominant species in all types of soils on the island. A Redundancy Analysis revealed three communities that characterize specific habitats: i. fellfield soils, characterized by low moisture values and low organic material content, contained fewer taxa and fewer individuals, ii. peaty valley soils, with lower pH values, showed high abundances and diversity, and iii. soils influenced by sea spray and marine animals had higher nutrient contents, elevated chloride and conductance values, resulting in more tests of Difflugiella oviformis, Nebela dentistoma and Edaphonobiotus campascoides. Special attention was given to the species composition in relation to the soil type and its moisture content. A comparison with aquatic habitats on Île de la Possession was made.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2004

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