The search result changed since you submitted your search request. Documents might be displayed in a different sort order.
  • search hit 9 of 237
Back to Result List

First 12 years of tardigrade succession in the young soils of a quickly evolving ecosystem

  • Open-cast coal-mining creates a severe disturbance of ecological systems, resulting in post-mining areas that have lost their soils entirely and are exposed to extreme conditions. Nonetheless, these areas allow us to investigate the process of primary succession. We studied the first 12 years of soil tardigrade succession at ‘Chicken Creek’, an experimental site within the open-cast coal-mining area in Welzow Süd, Germany. A total of ten tardigrade genera and 13 species or species groups were identified at the site. Over time, the organic carbon content, proportion of silt and nutrient availability in the soil increased, and the soil particle size distribution and pH value changed significantly. The vegetation cover and nematode abundance increased, whereas tardigrade densities peaked in 2008 and decreased thereafter, as did their mean body size. Species replacement was obvious within this 12 year study period, and tardigrade species diversity increased, indicating that ecological niche diversity also increased throughout this time.Open-cast coal-mining creates a severe disturbance of ecological systems, resulting in post-mining areas that have lost their soils entirely and are exposed to extreme conditions. Nonetheless, these areas allow us to investigate the process of primary succession. We studied the first 12 years of soil tardigrade succession at ‘Chicken Creek’, an experimental site within the open-cast coal-mining area in Welzow Süd, Germany. A total of ten tardigrade genera and 13 species or species groups were identified at the site. Over time, the organic carbon content, proportion of silt and nutrient availability in the soil increased, and the soil particle size distribution and pH value changed significantly. The vegetation cover and nematode abundance increased, whereas tardigrade densities peaked in 2008 and decreased thereafter, as did their mean body size. Species replacement was obvious within this 12 year study period, and tardigrade species diversity increased, indicating that ecological niche diversity also increased throughout this time. Vegetation cover, soil particle size distribution and time were the most important factors influencing the tardigrade community. We also discuss further potential factors and the ability of terrestrial tardigrades to persist despite many environmental constraints, such as fluctuations in pH and moisture, and to colonize new habitats faster than most other animal groups.show moreshow less

Export metadata

Additional Services

Search Google Scholar
Metadaten
Author: Jana Bingemer, Martin Pfeiffer, Karin Hohberg
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz165
ISSN:1096-3642
ISSN:0024-4082
Title of the source (English):Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
Document Type:Scientific journal article peer-reviewed
Language:English
Year of publication:2020
Contributing Corporation:BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg, FZLB
Tag:ecosystem development; morphometry; post-mining area; primary succession
Volume/Year:188
Issue number:3
First Page:887
Last Page:899
Comment:
related to research platform "Hühnerwasser"
Faculty/Chair:Zentrale Einrichtungen / Forschungszentrum Landschaftsentwicklung und Bergbaulandschaften (FZLB)
Einverstanden ✔
Diese Webseite verwendet technisch erforderliche Session-Cookies. Durch die weitere Nutzung der Webseite stimmen Sie diesem zu. Unsere Datenschutzerklärung finden Sie hier.