DIVERSITY OF SOIL NEMATODES IN THE TREATENED ECOSYSTEMS OF PONICKA CAVE.

Abstract

Ponicka Cave, situated in central Slovakia, is a natural wonder, known for its stunning stalagmites, stalactites, and underground lakes. This unique cave system has a hydrological connection to the Earth's surface, representing a very vulnerable habitat. Long-lasting intensive livestock grazing in the aquifer area of Ponicka cave and insufficiently insulated manure dump were the main reasons for the contamination of this cave. Soil nematodes are the most abundant multicellular organisms on Earth with respect to both species� richness and abundance. They are ubiquitous invertebrates in the soil that include a variety of feeding types, and they perform key functions in soil food webs. They are considered as one of the best soils bioindicators. Although the mesofauna of caves in Slovakia is relatively well described, information about soil nematodes are missing. In this study, we present the first data on the fauna of free-living and plant-parasitic nematode species from soil taken in the Karst region (karst spring, ponor, sink hole) and manure. Totally we identified 54 nematode species across 43 genera, 28 families, and 9 orders. The highest number of identified nematode species (44) was observed in Ponor, while 33 species were observed in both the karst springs and in a sinkhole and only 8 species were found in manure. Bacterivores were the dominant trophic group in all sites. Differences in nematode species composition in sites around Ponicka Cave, showing the differences in the environmental conditions nearby and site characteristic. This study emphasizes how important it is to know, understand and protect the soil biota that plays an important role in keeping the cave and the surrounding environment healthy.