Title | Abiotic controls on the functional structure of soil food webs |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1989 |
Authors | Whitford WG |
Journal | Biology and Fertility of Soils |
Volume | 8 |
Pagination | 1-6 |
Date Published | 1989 |
Accession Number | JRN00089 |
Call Number | 00388 |
Keywords | abiotic,food webs, anhydrobiosis, article, articles, bacteria,food web, cryptobiosis, food web, abiotic controls, fungi,food web, journal, journals, mite,food web, nematode,food web, protozoa,food web, soil, food web |
Abstract | The hypothesis that the trophic structure of soil food webs changes as a result of the abiotic environment was examined by reviewing studies of soil biota. In dry soils with a water potential below -1.5 MPa, most bacteria, protozoans, and many species of nematodes are not active. These taxa persist in the soil in a state of anhydrobiosis. Because soil fungi grow at soil water potentials of -6.0 to -8.0 MPa, soil food webs in dry environments appear to be fungal-based and fungal grazers in dry environments appear to be predominantly fungiphagous mites. There is indirect evidence that some species of fungiphagous mites remain inactive in dry soils in a state of "crytobiosis". In habitats where there is insufficient vegetative cover to shade and modify the soil surface, the functional soil food web consists of fungi and a few taxa of soil acari for extended periods of time. |
URL | files/bibliography/JRN00089.pdf |
DOI | 10.1007/BF00260508 |