Soil nematodes in alpine meadows of the Tatra National Park (Slovak Republic)

The assemblages of soil nematodes were studied at five alpine meadow sites, 1763 - 2200 m. a. s. I., in the Tatra National Park in the Slovak Republic. A total of 110 species were distinguished, 19 species were recorded in the Slovak Republic for the first time. The interesting new records are the occurrence of Sphaeronema alni at the elevation of 2003 m a. s. I. and the populations of Coomansus menzeli at four sites. The total numbers of species at individual sites varied from 45 to 72. The most abundant nematode genera were Aglenchus, Plectus, Acrobeloides, Paratylenchus, Eudorylaimus, Helicotylechus, and Aphelenchoides. The total mean abundance ranged from 704 to 2054 x 10(3)ind.m(-2) and the total mean biomass from 442 to 1531 mg.m(-2). The lowest values of the Maturity Indices (Sigma MI, MI) were found at the highest elevation. The significantly highest values of the Plant Parasite Index were at the lowest elevation. The mean values of the of the Enrichment Index varied from 16.3 to 38.4, the mean values of the Structure Index from 64.1 to 85.4. The Structure metabolic footprints were significantly greater at the lowest elevation than at the highest elevation. Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis performed on species presence and absence, genera abundance and genera metabolic footprints showed nematode assemblages at sites of higher elevations different from those at sites of lower elevations.