title: Nematode communities in contaminated river sediments.
abstract: Nematode communities of eight sites from three river catchments were investigated in terms of the genera composition, feeding types, and life-history strategists. The sampling sites showed a gradient of anthropogenic contamination with heavy metals and organic pollutants being important factors in differentiating the sites. Nematode community structure was related to sediment pollution and the hydro-morphological structure of the sampling sites. Heavily contaminated sites were characterized by communities with high relative abundances of omnivorous and predacious nematodes (Tobrilus, c-p 3; Mononchus, c-p 4), while sites with low to medium contamination were dominated by bacterivorous nematodes (Monhystera, Daptonema; c-p 2) or suction feeders (Dorylaimus, c-p 4). The relatively high Maturity Index values in the heavily polluted sites were surprising. Nematodes turned out to be a suitable organism group for monitoring sediment quality, with generic composition being the most accurate indicator for assessing differences in nematode community structure.
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Hydrology BfG, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heininger
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Höss
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Claus
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pelzer
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Traunspurger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D005858:Germany; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D009348:Nematoda / Q000502:physiology*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D045483:Rivers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical