Publication details
Using nematodes in soil ecotoxicology
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Environment International |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Ecology |
| Keywords | nematodes; field studies; toxicity testing; soil ecotoxicology |
| Description | Nematodes are very abundant and fundamental group of soil organisms and non-parasitic species are important for soil quality. Therefore, nematodes are suitable as bioindicators of soil conditions and as organisms for toxicity testing. Nematode numbers and community structure are sensitive to stress caused by soil pollutants and ecological disturbances. However, many unseen factors in natural ecosystems are the handicap for field studies affecting nematode communities and causing high space and time variability. Community structure can be approached from functional or ecological point of view: species can be differentiated to groups according to feeding habits or index can be calculated according to their ecological strategy. Nematode use in laboratory toxicity tests is comparable to other soil species. Moreover, they are often referred as less demanding to place and time and as more sensitive. Most studies have been focused on metal toxicity. Used endpoints are often mortality, reproduction or movement, but more sublethal endpoints such as feeding or biomarkers have been used recently too. Most used and standardized strain is Caenorhabditis elegans for toxicity testing in soil, aquatic and agar media. Other model nematode species for toxicity testing are: Plectus acuminatus, Panagrellus redivivus and Heterocephalobus puciannulatus. |
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