Do the morphological and functional traits of free-living marine nematodes mirror taxonomical diversity?
In: Marine Environmental Research. Applied Science Publishers: Barking. ISSN 0141-1136; e-ISSN 1879-0291, more
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| Keywords |
Nematoda [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
Nematoda; Granulometry; Morpho-functional diversity; Physical stress; Adaptations |
| Authors | | Top |
- Semprucci, F.
- Cesaroni, L.
- Guidi, L.
- Balsamo, M.
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| Abstract |
The taxonomical structure and diversity of nematode assemblages are the main attributes analyzed in ecology, but nematode adaptations to their habitats are still understudied. Accordingly, a survey on some known and other newly proposed morpho-functional traits was carried out in order to: determine if the morpho-functional diversity of nematodes mirrors their taxonomical diversity; and assess potential nematode adaptations to sediment type and hydrodynamic stress. Morpho-functional traits were investigated both singularly and together and showed significant differences related to these environmental factors. The greatest taxonomical and morpho-functional diversity was found in medium-coarse sand (M-CS) and at an intermedium energy level (IEL). The M-CS and IEL were probably richer in micro-habitats and subject to a low selective pressure, hosting nematodes with a wide range of adaptations. The mirroring of morpho-functional diversity with taxonomical diversity is crucial for the future growth of the use of nematodes in biomonitoring. This is because the study of their morpho-functional traits could reduce the level of work involved and the costs of any analyses. |
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