Ref ID : 2323
Wilhelm Foissner and Thomas Peer; [Protozoologische Untersuchungen an Almboden im Gasteiner Tal (Zentralalpen, Osterreich). I. Characteristik der Taxotope, Faunistik und Autokologie der Testacea und Ciliophora] (Studies on the protozoa in alpine soils from the Gastein area (Central Alps, Austria). I. Characterization of the sites, faunistic and autecology of the Testacea and Ciliopora). Veroff.Osterr.MaB-Programms 9:27-50, 1985
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The species richness and the autecology of the ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) and the testacea (Protozoa, Rhizopoda) were investigated in 8 soils of the Austrian Central Alps. Short description of the sample sites. Site (A): alpine pasture of alpine pseudogley. Site (B): abandoned alpine pasture on alpine pseudogley. Site (C): isolated alder stand on alpine pseudogley. Site (D): alder stand on alpine pseudogley close below site (C): Site (E): heavily eutrophic, marshy alpine pasture (Rumicetum alpini) on alpine pseudogley: Site (F): grazed alpine pasture with many dwarf shrubs on alpine pseudogley with pronounced podzolic dynamics. Site (G): marginal area of a ski trail, near to site (F); disturbed brown earth with podzolic dynamics. Site (H): center of disturbance of a ski trail, near to site (G); raw soil. The sites (A) to (E) are located at 1,780-1,850 m above sea-level, near the timberline. The sites (F) to (H) are situated at 1,960 m above sea-level, distinctly above the timberline. Kind of humus: mull-like moder at sites (A), (B), (D- in 5-10 cm soil depth), (E), (F), (G), (H), moder at site (C), and raw humus/moder at site (D- in 0-5 cm soil depth). 84 ciliates and 42 testacean species were found. Taking into account the results of Foissner (1981) and Foissner und Adam (1981), 110 ciliate and 45 testacean species are now known from the Hohe Tauern area. 36% of the ciliate species are new to science. Obviously, the taxonomical research of this group must be intensified. Most ciliate species occur at sites (D) and (H), fewest at sites (E) and (F). But the differences are small. On the contrary, most testacean species occur at sites (C) and (D), fewest at sites (H) and (G). These differences are statistically significant. Concerning the species identity of the ciliates the sites assemble into 3 groups: the slightly anthropogenous influenced pastures (A, B, F, G), the heavily anthropogenous influenced sites (H, E), and the alder sites (C, D). The testacea cluster to 2 groups: the sites (A, F, G, H) and the sites (B, C, D, E). These results suggest that the testacean community indicates unfavourable changes of the environment mainly be a decrease of the species richness, whereas the ciliate community rather reacts with changes in the species composition. In every site 25 biotic and abiotic factors were analyzed. Based on these data for each species a milieu-spectrum is complied. These spectra have some disadvantages but, however, they can be useful for a better understanding of the autecology of the soil protozoa.