engleski

Development and functional structure of epiphytic nematode community on the submerged macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum (Lake Sakadaš, Kopački Rit, Croatia)

Structural and functional diversity of epiphytic nematodes associated with submerged macrophyte species Ceratophyllum demersum were investigated from July to September 2004 at three stations in the floodplain lake. At stations I and II C. demersum was dominant in the macrophyte patches. At station III Myriophyllum spicatum was dominant macrophyte species. When species composition analysis was considered with weighed down abundances, a characteristic community structure developed on macrophytes which grow in different parts of the lake. When the abundance of nematodes was taken into account C. demersum which is developed in different parts of the lake was not joined to unique functional structure, and different trophic groups of nematodes were dominant at different stations. Eutobrilus nothus was dominant nematode species for station I and chewers were dominant functional group. Eutobrilus nothus, Eumonhystera sp. 1 and Eumonhystera filiformis vulgaris group were abundant nematode species for station II and consequently chewers and detritus feeders dominated in different periods of investigation. Nematodes from station III were characterized by the highest nematode abundance where Chromadorina bioculata was dominant species, and epistrate feeders dominant functional group. A part of our previously published results was reanalysed in this paper to enable the comparison of nematode communities established on C. demersum with those developed on M. spicatum. There was no difference in the nematode functional structure between macrophyte species at the same station when the abundance of dominant species was taken into account, i.e. the same trophic structure was established.

submerged macrophytes; epiphytic nematodes; free-living freshwater nematodes; species composition; functional diversity

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