An Analysis of the Abundance, Diversity and Patchiness of Terrestrial Gymnamoebae in Relation to Soil Depth and Precipitation Events Following a Drought in Southeastern U.S.A.

Paul J. Bischoff

《Acta Protozoologica》 41卷2期 (2002/06) Pp. 183-189

並列摘要

The objectives of this research were to examine the abundance, diversity and patchiness of gymnamoebae sampled at a distance of 3.0 cm apart and at three soil depths (surface, 5.0 cm and 10.0 cm) during a drought and after a significant precipitation event. The observed gymnamoebae were categorized into four morphotypes using a standard categorization scheme, but genera of the family Cochliopodiidae were categorized separately since their abundance patterns were different from the other gymnamoebae, and taxonomically they possess characteristics of both naked and testate amoebae. Gymnamoebae abundance was significantly correlated with soil moisture (r=0.75, n=18, p＜0.001). The mean abundance of gymnamoebae (combining all the data) after the precipitation event was significantly larger than the abundance during the drought based on a univariate ANOVA test (F(2, 15)=12.8, p＜0.001). Furthermore, the mean gymnamoebae abundance of the triplicate samples taken at the surface and at 5.0 cm after the precipitation event was significantly greater than the mean abundance during the drought F(1, 4)=18.3, p＜0.013 (surface), F(1, 4)=15.0, p＜0.018 (5.0 cm). There was no significant difference in the mean gymnamoebae abundances at a depth of 10 cm, F(1, 4)=6.4, p=0.064. Within triplicates assays, diversity coefficients were generally more similar following the precipitation event than in samples taken during the drought, and there was evidence of patchy distribution in most of the triplicate samples taken at 3.0 cm apart.

並列關鍵字

Cochliopodiidae ； gymnamoeba abundance ； microbial ecology ； precipitation events ； soil biology ； testate amoebae