What shapes edaphic communities in mineral and ornithogenic soils of Cierva Point, Antarctic Peninsula?

摘要: Three mineral soil and four ornithogenic sites were sampled during summer 2006 at Cierva Point (Antarctic Peninsula) to study their bacterial, microalgal faunal communities in relation abiotic biotic features. Soil moisture, pH, conductivity, organic matter nutrient contents consistently lower more homogeneous soils. Ornithogenic soils supported larger variable bacterial abundances than ones. Algal from diverse those soils, although chlorophyll-a concentrations significantly higher the latter. This parameter abundance correlated with contents. The meiofauna obtained was homogeneous, one nematode species dominating all samples. fauna of varied widely composition abundance. Tardigrades rotifers dominated eutrophic O2, where they a large population predatory Coomansus gerlachei. At site O3, high consistent densities bacterivorous nematodes Plectus spp. This provides evidence that Antarctic are complex systems, suggests interactions (e.g. competition predation) may have stronger direct influence on community variability space time previously thought.