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Stanislav Pen-Mouratov

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STANISLAV PEN -MOURATOV Date of Birth: July 2, 1961Work Address: School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv University,Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel Phone: 972-07-3-3802010 E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 0733802010
Address: School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, and
The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center
for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv University,
Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel

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yosef Steinberger

Bar-Ilan University

Global Science Books

Scientific Research Publishing

Yosef Steinberger

DRR

University of Delhi

Iowa State University

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Papers by Stanislav Pen-Mouratov

Spatio-temporal Dynamic Heterogeneity of Nematode Abundance in a Desert Ecosystem

Journal of nematology

The abundance and distribution of natural populations of soil organisms can be influenced greatly... more The abundance and distribution of natural populations of soil organisms can be influenced greatly by the types and arrangement of habitat patchiness within a landscape. Most animal populations inhabit a variety of different habitats, even within a relatively small geographic region. The aim of our research was to determine how abiotic and biotic environmental factors, including small shrub canopy, influence patchiness and the alteration of nematode populations inhabiting a small plot in a desert ecosystem. The results of our investigation showed that the aggregation of total number of nematodes, trophic groups, and nematode species in an arid region with low soil moisture content may be significantly different (P < 0.01), even in 10-m-square areas. Ecological indices such as lambda, H', J', and SR were defined as useful for detecting changes in spatial patterns of nematodes. Only the H' index identified a difference in temporal and spatial patterns (P < 0.01). We c...

Seasonal effect on trophical relationship between soil free-living nematode and protozoan populations in a desert ecosystem

ACTA ZOOLOGICA SINICA

Nematode population diversity and dynamics in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

Pedosphere

The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of agricultural management on the dynamics and ... more The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of agricultural management on the dynamics and functional diversity of soil nematode communities in a carrot field at Kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh, Israel. Soil samples from 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths were collected during the growing season between September 1998 and February 1999. Indices were used to compare and assess the response of soil free-living nematode communities to agricultural management. Eighteen nematode families and 20 genera were observed during the growing period, with Cephalobus, Rhabditidae, Aphelenchus, Tylenchus, and Dorylaimus being the dominant genera/families. The total number of nematodes and bacterivores at both depths during the planting, mid-season and post-harvest periods were found to be lower in the (carrot) treatment than in the control plots. The total number of nematodes and bacterivores at both depths during the harvest period were found to be higher in the treatment than in the control plots. The valu...

Desert plant ecophysiological adaptation effect on soil free-living nematode community

European Journal of Soil Biology

Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, lea... more Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, leading to creation of microhabitats beneath the shrubs that can determine composition and abundance of soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities in the rhizosphere of tightly interweaving shrubby communities. Soil samples were collected monthly under the canopies of three perennial desert shrubs: Artemesia herba-alba, possessing the allelopathic ability to dominate in relationships with other plants; Reaumuria negevensis, a salt-resistant plant; and Noea mucronata, a typical dry desert shrub. An inter-plant area was used as a control. The results demonstrated that soil water content (SWC) and total organic carbon (Corg) were significantly different under different plants and inter-plant areas, with the highest values found under R. negevensis (SWC) and N. mucronata and R. negevensis (Corg). Plant paras...

Mammalian steroid hormones can reduce fecundity and sex ratio of soil nematode communities

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment

The effect of mammalian steroid hormones (estradiol, estrone, progesterone, and testosterone) in ... more The effect of mammalian steroid hormones (estradiol, estrone, progesterone, and testosterone) in environmentally relevant concentrations on a soil free-living nematode community was examined. Steroids were applied in 2.5 L water on 0.25 m2 plots in triplicate, and comparison was made with plots receiving water alone. Soil samples were taken from the 0 to 5, 5 to 10, and 10 to 20-cm soil layers. The soil free- living nematode populations were examined at zero time, 12 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h, and 25 d post-treatment. Testosterone, progesterone, and estrone were persistent in the soil while the estradiol rapidly dissipated. The total number of nematodes was decreased by the presence of testosterone, progesterone, or estrone but not estradiol. Testosterone, progesterone, and estrone increased the number of males in relationship to females (60:40) compared to the control and estradiol-treated plots (50:50). The presence of steroids had no consistent effect on the distribution of bacteria-f...

Whitford, W.G., Pen-Mouratov, S., Throop, H., Steinberger, Y. (2014) The effects of prescribed fire on soil nematodes in and arid Juniper savanna. Open Journal of Ecology 4 (2): 66-75

Open Journal of Ecology

Prescribed fire produced a landscape with two types of severely burned patches: charred shrub pat... more Prescribed fire produced a landscape with two types of severely burned patches: charred shrub patches and charred patches with tree trunks at the center. Soil nematodes were more abundant in burned and unburned juniper (Juniperus mo- nosperma) tree patches than in yucca-shrub pat- ches. There were no differences in nematode abundance between burned and unburned pat- ches during the late spring and summer sam-ples. Nematode abundance was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in unburned patches than in burned patches in the early spring samples, re-flecting large differences in soil moisture be-tween unburned and burned patches. There were no differences in soil nematode abundance between burned and unburned patches at one- year post-burn and three-year post-burn sites. When all samples were pooled, taxonomic di-versity, ecological indices, and abundance of trophic groups (bacteria-feeders, fungi-feeders, and omnivore-predators) were higher in un-burned than burned patches. These result...

Changes in soil free-living nematode communities and their trophic composition along a climatic gradient

Open Journal of Ecology

Ambiguity exists concerning the effects of climate on soil nematode-community composition. In thi... more Ambiguity exists concerning the effects of climate on soil nematode-community composition. In this study, we examined the free-living nematode communities in soil along a climatic gradient representing humid-Mediterranean, Mediterranean, semi-arid, and arid climate types. The relationships between abiotic soil characteristics (organic carbon, soil moisture (SM), water-holding capacity) and nematode parameters, such as abundance, trophic group composition, and diversity indices, were explored in the context of climate and seasonality. Nematode abundance was lowest at the arid site. At the humid Mediterranean and Mediterranean locations, nematode abundance reached its peak in winter, while at the semi-arid and arid sites, an almost opposite trend was observed, with lowest abundances in winter, presumably due to a nutrient washout from the soil profile during the rainy season. On the trophic level, one trophic group demonstrated a positive correlation with SM and one trophic group demo...

Do development stages of biological soil crusts determine activity and functional diversity in a sand-dune ecosystem?

Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2012

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover up to 70% of the sparsely-vegetated open spaces in semiarid a... more Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover up to 70% of the sparsely-vegetated open spaces in semiarid and arid regions throughout the world and fulfill a wide range of ecological functions. Previous investigations on BSCs mainly focused on the taxonomic or genetic diversity of their components and physical properties, while little attention was given to the functional diversity of microbial community, which plays crucial roles in carbon cycling. In order to distinguish between microbial functional diversity in BSCs with different developmental levels, MicroRespÔ plates were used to determine the utilization rate of fifteen added carbon sources. Five types of crusts, AeE, were taken from the western Negev Desert (Israel) during the morning hours of March 2011. Abiotic and biotic variables were measured. The welldeveloped high-biomass BSCs exhibited pronounced increases in their chlorophyll a and organicmatter content. Higher activity and biomass of microbial communities, as well as higher density of viable microfungi, were also found in the well-developed BSCs. Marked increases in the utilization rates of aromatic acid, carbohydrates and carboxylic acid were consistent with the well-developed crusts. Although the utilization rates of the four carbon groups followed the order: carboxylic acid > amino acid > carbohydrates and aromatic acid, the redundancy analysis revealed that crust A preferred consuming amino acids while crusts C and E preferred carboxylic acids and carbohydrates. No significant differences in functional diversity were observed between BSCs with different developmental levels. More carbon sources, as well as molecular and stable isotopic approaches, should be used in further studies.

Soil Biota in the Arava Valley of Negev Desert, Israel

Pedosphere, 2010

... rushes, acacias and doom palms, whereas the rest of the area is barren (Evenari et al., 1982;... more

Effect of desert plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities

European Journal of Soil Biology, 2008

Salinity Nematode communities Trophic groups Halophytes Ecological indices Desert ecosystem a b s... more Salinity Nematode communities Trophic groups Halophytes Ecological indices Desert ecosystem a b s t r a c t Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, leading to creation of microhabitats beneath the shrubs that can determine composition and abundance of soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities in the rhizosphere of tightly interweaving shrubby communities. Soil samples were collected monthly under the canopies of three perennial desert shrubs: Artemesia herba-alba, possessing the allelopathic ability to dominate in relationships with other plants; Reaumuria negevensis, a salt-resistant plant; and Noea mucronata, a typical dry desert shrub. An inter-plant area was used as a control. The results demonstrated that soil water content (SWC) and total organic carbon (C org ) were significantly different under different plants and inter-plant areas, with the highest values found under R. negevensis (SWC) and N. mucronata and R. negevensis (C org ). Plant parasite and omnivore-predator nematodes were more sensitive to the ecophysiological individual features of observed plants versus the total number of nematodes and bacteria-and fungi-feeding nematodes. Generally accepted ecological indices such as Wasilewska (WI), trophic diversity (T), maturity (MI, MMI), basal (BI), enrichment (EI), structure (SI), and channel (CI), pointed to specific ecological conditions under canopies of the observed plants.

Soil free-living nematodes community structure and soil microbial biomass response to soil pollution in the vicinity of Navoiy industrial area, Uzbekistan

by Stanislav Pen-Mouratov and yosef Steinberger

Successive development of soil ecosystems at abandoned coal-ash landfills

by Obidjon Kodirov and Stanislav Pen-Mouratov

Ecotoxicology, 2014

The main goal of the present study was to determine the effect of the native vegetation on the su... more The main goal of the present study was to determine the effect of the native vegetation on the successive development of the soil ecosystem at abandoned coal-ash landfills of the Angren coal-fired power plant in Uzbekistan. Two different landfills (one not in use for 3 years, termed newer, and the other not in use for 10 years, termed older) with different degrees of vegetation cover were chosen to assess the time and vegetation effects on soil biota and habitat development. The soil biotic structure, including soil microorganisms and soil free-living nematode communities, was investigated both at open plots and under different native plants at the coal-ash landfill area. The observed soil microorganisms were found to be the most important component of the observed ecosystems. Total abundance, biomass, species, trophic and sexual diversity of soil free-living nematodes, along with fungi and organic-matter content, were found to be correlated with trace metals. The nematode trophic and species abundance and diversity increased from the newer toward the older coal-ash landfills. The sex ratio of the nematode communities was found to be dependent on the environmental conditions of the study area, with the males being the most sensitive nematode group. All applied ecological indices confirmed that open landfill plots distant from plants are the most unfavorable areas for soil biota. In that respect, the native plants Alhagi maurorum Desv. and Tamarix sp. were found to be important environmental components for the natural remediation of a soil ecosystem in the coal-ash landfill area.

Coupling geochemical, mineralogical and microbiological approaches to assess the health of contaminated soil around the Almalyk mining and smelter complex, Uzbekistan

by Obidjon Kodirov, Stanislav Pen-Mouratov, and Mirko Peitzsch

Soil samples were collected along a transect downwind of an industrial and mining area. • Smelter... more Soil samples were collected along a transect downwind of an industrial and mining area. • Smelter particles were found in the heavy mineral fraction with metal-bearing weathering rims. • Dissolved and exchangeable metal concentrations decreased with distance. • Significant correlations were found between metal contents and microbiological health parameters. a b s t r a c t This study describes the impact of airborne pollution resulting from mining and smelting activities on the soils of the Almalyk mining and industrial area (NE Uzbekistan). Samples were collected along a transect downwind of the industrial area. Enriched contents of some metals were found in the upper soil layers near the metallurgical complex (Zn ≤ 3010 mg kg −1 , Pb ≤ 630 mg kg −1 , Cd ≤ 30 mg kg −1 ) which suggests that these metals were derived from local stack emissions. The morphology and internal microstructure of metal-bearing spherical particles found in the heavy mineral fraction suggest that these particles were probably a result of inefficient flue gas cleaning technique of the smelter. The highest metal concentrations were found also in soil solutions and exchangeable solid fractions from the first three locations, and decreased with increasing distance from the pollution source along transect. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations suggest that the mobile metal pool in the contaminated soil is mainly controlled by dissolution of metal carbonates formed as weathering product of the metalliferous particles. The health of the microbiological soil ecosystem was assessed by measurements of basal respiration, nematode abundance, biomass-related C and N content, and microbial metabolic quotient qCO 2 . Significant correlations were found between the dissolved metal content and the microbiological health parameters, a negative one for C mic /C org ratio, and a positive one for qCO 2 . A negative correlation was found between the amount of nematodes and the metal contents suggesting that the contaminated soil has significant impact on the functioning of the microbiological community. A better understanding of the spatial variations in the whole ecosystem functioning due to airborne impact could be very useful for establishing suitable land use and best management practices for the polluted areas.

Seasonal Effect of Geomorphological Chronosequence Features on Soil Biota Dynamics

by Nosir Shukurov and Stanislav Pen-Mouratov

Pedosphere, 2010

Numerous studies have been devoted to the physical-chemical weathering processes leading to the c... more Numerous studies have been devoted to the physical-chemical weathering processes leading to the creation of unique soil formations having their own history that induce soil-biotic diversity. However, the extent to which unique geomorphic formations influence soil biotic seasonal variation is not clear. Our aim was to define seasonal variations of soil biota in soils of different-aged terraces of the Makhtesh Ramon anticline erosional cirque in southern Israel. The strong effect of Makhtesh Ramon (Ramon crater) erosional fluvial terrace age initiated by climatic changes during the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene period on seasonal variations in both soil properties and the abundance and composition of soil biota were demonstrated. However, age dependence was not constant and values for observed soil properties and microbial activity were negligible between younger and older terraces for certain seasons, while free-living nematodes along with bacterial-feeding group were strongly dependent on the geomorphic features of the ages throughout the study period.

Preliminary study of the soil nematode community at Machu Picchu Station, King George Island, Antarctica

Polar Biology, 2001

We studied the distribution and abundance of nematodes in one of the most extreme terrestrial env... more We studied the distribution and abundance of nematodes in one of the most extreme terrestrial environments in the world, at Machu Picchu, King George Island, off the coast of Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. We can report that the nematode community structure under the two most common plant covers was composed of three to four species. These species were found to belong functionally to microbial and omnivore/predator feeding types. Abundances of each of the nematode species were found to be negatively correlated to soil water content, generally decreasing their abundance with increasing soil water content. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of moisture availability to the nematode community and its species composition in this Antarctic soil ecosystem.

Seasonal variation in the nematode communities associated with two halophytes in a desert ecosystem

Pedobiologia, 2002

S Se ea as so on na al l v va ar ri ia at ti io on n i in n t th he e n ne em ma at to od de e c ... more

Spatial Distribution and Colonization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi under the Canopies of Desert Halophytes

Arid Land Research and Management, 2002

Temporal and spatial dynamics of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under the canopy of Zygophyllum dumosum Boiss. in the Negev Desert

Journal of Arid Environments, 2002

The temporal and spatial dynamics of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi were investigat... more The temporal and spatial dynamics of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi were investigated in a desert ecosystem. Soil samples under the canopy of Zygophyllum dumosum were collected monthly between November 1999 and October 2000 from 0-10 and 10-20 cm depths. VAM fungal colonization and spore density were used to compare the responses of VAM fungi to soil conditions. The mean percent colonization and spore density of VAM fungi reached maximal values in November 1999 and September 2000. Soil moisture was positively correlated with colonization of VAM structure groups. Vesicular and arbuscular colonization were positively correlated with soil organic matter and total soluble N. Spore density was also positively correlated with total soluble N. Our results suggest that spore density and the extent of vesicular and arbuscular colonization are useful indicators for evaluating changes in desert soil ecosystems.

Soil disturbance by soil animals on a topoclimatic gradient

European Journal of Soil Biology, 2004

We measured the area and volume of soil disturbed by various groups of animals at three sites on ... more We measured the area and volume of soil disturbed by various groups of animals at three sites on a topoclimatic gradient in the Judean Desert, Israel. Both the area and volume of soil disturbed by animals correlated with the cumulative precipitation of the winter rain season. Rodent activity accounted for most of the soil disturbance at all sites except for June 2001, when the volume of soil transported to the surface by ants in the construction of nest chambers accounted for most of the soil volume moved at the intermediate rainfall site. The aggregate stability of soil ejected from animal excavations was significantly lower than that of undisturbed soil during and immediately following the winter rain season, but not during the following dry seasons. The quantities of soil moved by ants in the Judean Desert were comparable to quantities moved by ants in the Chihuahuan Desert of North America.

Impact of grazing on soil biota in a Mediterranean grassland

by Stanislav Pen-Mouratov and Einav Mayzlish-gati

Land Degradation & Development, 2005

The effect of cattle grazing on the soil nematode and protozoan communities, and on microbial bio... more

Spatio-temporal Dynamic Heterogeneity of Nematode Abundance in a Desert Ecosystem

Journal of nematology

The abundance and distribution of natural populations of soil organisms can be influenced greatly... more The abundance and distribution of natural populations of soil organisms can be influenced greatly by the types and arrangement of habitat patchiness within a landscape. Most animal populations inhabit a variety of different habitats, even within a relatively small geographic region. The aim of our research was to determine how abiotic and biotic environmental factors, including small shrub canopy, influence patchiness and the alteration of nematode populations inhabiting a small plot in a desert ecosystem. The results of our investigation showed that the aggregation of total number of nematodes, trophic groups, and nematode species in an arid region with low soil moisture content may be significantly different (P < 0.01), even in 10-m-square areas. Ecological indices such as lambda, H', J', and SR were defined as useful for detecting changes in spatial patterns of nematodes. Only the H' index identified a difference in temporal and spatial patterns (P < 0.01). We c...

Seasonal effect on trophical relationship between soil free-living nematode and protozoan populations in a desert ecosystem

ACTA ZOOLOGICA SINICA

Nematode population diversity and dynamics in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

Pedosphere

The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of agricultural management on the dynamics and ... more The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of agricultural management on the dynamics and functional diversity of soil nematode communities in a carrot field at Kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh, Israel. Soil samples from 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths were collected during the growing season between September 1998 and February 1999. Indices were used to compare and assess the response of soil free-living nematode communities to agricultural management. Eighteen nematode families and 20 genera were observed during the growing period, with Cephalobus, Rhabditidae, Aphelenchus, Tylenchus, and Dorylaimus being the dominant genera/families. The total number of nematodes and bacterivores at both depths during the planting, mid-season and post-harvest periods were found to be lower in the (carrot) treatment than in the control plots. The total number of nematodes and bacterivores at both depths during the harvest period were found to be higher in the treatment than in the control plots. The valu...

Desert plant ecophysiological adaptation effect on soil free-living nematode community

European Journal of Soil Biology

Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, lea... more Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, leading to creation of microhabitats beneath the shrubs that can determine composition and abundance of soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities in the rhizosphere of tightly interweaving shrubby communities. Soil samples were collected monthly under the canopies of three perennial desert shrubs: Artemesia herba-alba, possessing the allelopathic ability to dominate in relationships with other plants; Reaumuria negevensis, a salt-resistant plant; and Noea mucronata, a typical dry desert shrub. An inter-plant area was used as a control. The results demonstrated that soil water content (SWC) and total organic carbon (Corg) were significantly different under different plants and inter-plant areas, with the highest values found under R. negevensis (SWC) and N. mucronata and R. negevensis (Corg). Plant paras...

Mammalian steroid hormones can reduce fecundity and sex ratio of soil nematode communities

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment

The effect of mammalian steroid hormones (estradiol, estrone, progesterone, and testosterone) in ... more The effect of mammalian steroid hormones (estradiol, estrone, progesterone, and testosterone) in environmentally relevant concentrations on a soil free-living nematode community was examined. Steroids were applied in 2.5 L water on 0.25 m2 plots in triplicate, and comparison was made with plots receiving water alone. Soil samples were taken from the 0 to 5, 5 to 10, and 10 to 20-cm soil layers. The soil free- living nematode populations were examined at zero time, 12 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h, and 25 d post-treatment. Testosterone, progesterone, and estrone were persistent in the soil while the estradiol rapidly dissipated. The total number of nematodes was decreased by the presence of testosterone, progesterone, or estrone but not estradiol. Testosterone, progesterone, and estrone increased the number of males in relationship to females (60:40) compared to the control and estradiol-treated plots (50:50). The presence of steroids had no consistent effect on the distribution of bacteria-f...

Whitford, W.G., Pen-Mouratov, S., Throop, H., Steinberger, Y. (2014) The effects of prescribed fire on soil nematodes in and arid Juniper savanna. Open Journal of Ecology 4 (2): 66-75

Open Journal of Ecology

Prescribed fire produced a landscape with two types of severely burned patches: charred shrub pat... more Prescribed fire produced a landscape with two types of severely burned patches: charred shrub patches and charred patches with tree trunks at the center. Soil nematodes were more abundant in burned and unburned juniper (Juniperus mo- nosperma) tree patches than in yucca-shrub pat- ches. There were no differences in nematode abundance between burned and unburned pat- ches during the late spring and summer sam-ples. Nematode abundance was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in unburned patches than in burned patches in the early spring samples, re-flecting large differences in soil moisture be-tween unburned and burned patches. There were no differences in soil nematode abundance between burned and unburned patches at one- year post-burn and three-year post-burn sites. When all samples were pooled, taxonomic di-versity, ecological indices, and abundance of trophic groups (bacteria-feeders, fungi-feeders, and omnivore-predators) were higher in un-burned than burned patches. These result...

Changes in soil free-living nematode communities and their trophic composition along a climatic gradient

Open Journal of Ecology

Ambiguity exists concerning the effects of climate on soil nematode-community composition. In thi... more Ambiguity exists concerning the effects of climate on soil nematode-community composition. In this study, we examined the free-living nematode communities in soil along a climatic gradient representing humid-Mediterranean, Mediterranean, semi-arid, and arid climate types. The relationships between abiotic soil characteristics (organic carbon, soil moisture (SM), water-holding capacity) and nematode parameters, such as abundance, trophic group composition, and diversity indices, were explored in the context of climate and seasonality. Nematode abundance was lowest at the arid site. At the humid Mediterranean and Mediterranean locations, nematode abundance reached its peak in winter, while at the semi-arid and arid sites, an almost opposite trend was observed, with lowest abundances in winter, presumably due to a nutrient washout from the soil profile during the rainy season. On the trophic level, one trophic group demonstrated a positive correlation with SM and one trophic group demo...

Do development stages of biological soil crusts determine activity and functional diversity in a sand-dune ecosystem?

Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2012

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover up to 70% of the sparsely-vegetated open spaces in semiarid a... more Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover up to 70% of the sparsely-vegetated open spaces in semiarid and arid regions throughout the world and fulfill a wide range of ecological functions. Previous investigations on BSCs mainly focused on the taxonomic or genetic diversity of their components and physical properties, while little attention was given to the functional diversity of microbial community, which plays crucial roles in carbon cycling. In order to distinguish between microbial functional diversity in BSCs with different developmental levels, MicroRespÔ plates were used to determine the utilization rate of fifteen added carbon sources. Five types of crusts, AeE, were taken from the western Negev Desert (Israel) during the morning hours of March 2011. Abiotic and biotic variables were measured. The welldeveloped high-biomass BSCs exhibited pronounced increases in their chlorophyll a and organicmatter content. Higher activity and biomass of microbial communities, as well as higher density of viable microfungi, were also found in the well-developed BSCs. Marked increases in the utilization rates of aromatic acid, carbohydrates and carboxylic acid were consistent with the well-developed crusts. Although the utilization rates of the four carbon groups followed the order: carboxylic acid > amino acid > carbohydrates and aromatic acid, the redundancy analysis revealed that crust A preferred consuming amino acids while crusts C and E preferred carboxylic acids and carbohydrates. No significant differences in functional diversity were observed between BSCs with different developmental levels. More carbon sources, as well as molecular and stable isotopic approaches, should be used in further studies.

Soil Biota in the Arava Valley of Negev Desert, Israel

Pedosphere, 2010

... rushes, acacias and doom palms, whereas the rest of the area is barren (Evenari et al., 1982;... more

Effect of desert plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities

European Journal of Soil Biology, 2008

Salinity Nematode communities Trophic groups Halophytes Ecological indices Desert ecosystem a b s... more Salinity Nematode communities Trophic groups Halophytes Ecological indices Desert ecosystem a b s t r a c t Nutrient source limitation in desert ecosystems enhances competition among plant communities, leading to creation of microhabitats beneath the shrubs that can determine composition and abundance of soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of plant ecophysiological adaptation on soil nematode communities in the rhizosphere of tightly interweaving shrubby communities. Soil samples were collected monthly under the canopies of three perennial desert shrubs: Artemesia herba-alba, possessing the allelopathic ability to dominate in relationships with other plants; Reaumuria negevensis, a salt-resistant plant; and Noea mucronata, a typical dry desert shrub. An inter-plant area was used as a control. The results demonstrated that soil water content (SWC) and total organic carbon (C org ) were significantly different under different plants and inter-plant areas, with the highest values found under R. negevensis (SWC) and N. mucronata and R. negevensis (C org ). Plant parasite and omnivore-predator nematodes were more sensitive to the ecophysiological individual features of observed plants versus the total number of nematodes and bacteria-and fungi-feeding nematodes. Generally accepted ecological indices such as Wasilewska (WI), trophic diversity (T), maturity (MI, MMI), basal (BI), enrichment (EI), structure (SI), and channel (CI), pointed to specific ecological conditions under canopies of the observed plants.

Soil free-living nematodes community structure and soil microbial biomass response to soil pollution in the vicinity of Navoiy industrial area, Uzbekistan

by Stanislav Pen-Mouratov and yosef Steinberger

Successive development of soil ecosystems at abandoned coal-ash landfills

by Obidjon Kodirov and Stanislav Pen-Mouratov

Ecotoxicology, 2014

The main goal of the present study was to determine the effect of the native vegetation on the su... more The main goal of the present study was to determine the effect of the native vegetation on the successive development of the soil ecosystem at abandoned coal-ash landfills of the Angren coal-fired power plant in Uzbekistan. Two different landfills (one not in use for 3 years, termed newer, and the other not in use for 10 years, termed older) with different degrees of vegetation cover were chosen to assess the time and vegetation effects on soil biota and habitat development. The soil biotic structure, including soil microorganisms and soil free-living nematode communities, was investigated both at open plots and under different native plants at the coal-ash landfill area. The observed soil microorganisms were found to be the most important component of the observed ecosystems. Total abundance, biomass, species, trophic and sexual diversity of soil free-living nematodes, along with fungi and organic-matter content, were found to be correlated with trace metals. The nematode trophic and species abundance and diversity increased from the newer toward the older coal-ash landfills. The sex ratio of the nematode communities was found to be dependent on the environmental conditions of the study area, with the males being the most sensitive nematode group. All applied ecological indices confirmed that open landfill plots distant from plants are the most unfavorable areas for soil biota. In that respect, the native plants Alhagi maurorum Desv. and Tamarix sp. were found to be important environmental components for the natural remediation of a soil ecosystem in the coal-ash landfill area.

Coupling geochemical, mineralogical and microbiological approaches to assess the health of contaminated soil around the Almalyk mining and smelter complex, Uzbekistan

by Obidjon Kodirov, Stanislav Pen-Mouratov, and Mirko Peitzsch

Soil samples were collected along a transect downwind of an industrial and mining area. • Smelter... more Soil samples were collected along a transect downwind of an industrial and mining area. • Smelter particles were found in the heavy mineral fraction with metal-bearing weathering rims. • Dissolved and exchangeable metal concentrations decreased with distance. • Significant correlations were found between metal contents and microbiological health parameters. a b s t r a c t This study describes the impact of airborne pollution resulting from mining and smelting activities on the soils of the Almalyk mining and industrial area (NE Uzbekistan). Samples were collected along a transect downwind of the industrial area. Enriched contents of some metals were found in the upper soil layers near the metallurgical complex (Zn ≤ 3010 mg kg −1 , Pb ≤ 630 mg kg −1 , Cd ≤ 30 mg kg −1 ) which suggests that these metals were derived from local stack emissions. The morphology and internal microstructure of metal-bearing spherical particles found in the heavy mineral fraction suggest that these particles were probably a result of inefficient flue gas cleaning technique of the smelter. The highest metal concentrations were found also in soil solutions and exchangeable solid fractions from the first three locations, and decreased with increasing distance from the pollution source along transect. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations suggest that the mobile metal pool in the contaminated soil is mainly controlled by dissolution of metal carbonates formed as weathering product of the metalliferous particles. The health of the microbiological soil ecosystem was assessed by measurements of basal respiration, nematode abundance, biomass-related C and N content, and microbial metabolic quotient qCO 2 . Significant correlations were found between the dissolved metal content and the microbiological health parameters, a negative one for C mic /C org ratio, and a positive one for qCO 2 . A negative correlation was found between the amount of nematodes and the metal contents suggesting that the contaminated soil has significant impact on the functioning of the microbiological community. A better understanding of the spatial variations in the whole ecosystem functioning due to airborne impact could be very useful for establishing suitable land use and best management practices for the polluted areas.

Seasonal Effect of Geomorphological Chronosequence Features on Soil Biota Dynamics

by Nosir Shukurov and Stanislav Pen-Mouratov

Pedosphere, 2010

Numerous studies have been devoted to the physical-chemical weathering processes leading to the c... more Numerous studies have been devoted to the physical-chemical weathering processes leading to the creation of unique soil formations having their own history that induce soil-biotic diversity. However, the extent to which unique geomorphic formations influence soil biotic seasonal variation is not clear. Our aim was to define seasonal variations of soil biota in soils of different-aged terraces of the Makhtesh Ramon anticline erosional cirque in southern Israel. The strong effect of Makhtesh Ramon (Ramon crater) erosional fluvial terrace age initiated by climatic changes during the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene period on seasonal variations in both soil properties and the abundance and composition of soil biota were demonstrated. However, age dependence was not constant and values for observed soil properties and microbial activity were negligible between younger and older terraces for certain seasons, while free-living nematodes along with bacterial-feeding group were strongly dependent on the geomorphic features of the ages throughout the study period.

Preliminary study of the soil nematode community at Machu Picchu Station, King George Island, Antarctica

Polar Biology, 2001

We studied the distribution and abundance of nematodes in one of the most extreme terrestrial env... more We studied the distribution and abundance of nematodes in one of the most extreme terrestrial environments in the world, at Machu Picchu, King George Island, off the coast of Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. We can report that the nematode community structure under the two most common plant covers was composed of three to four species. These species were found to belong functionally to microbial and omnivore/predator feeding types. Abundances of each of the nematode species were found to be negatively correlated to soil water content, generally decreasing their abundance with increasing soil water content. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of moisture availability to the nematode community and its species composition in this Antarctic soil ecosystem.

Seasonal variation in the nematode communities associated with two halophytes in a desert ecosystem

Pedobiologia, 2002

S Se ea as so on na al l v va ar ri ia at ti io on n i in n t th he e n ne em ma at to od de e c ... more

Spatial Distribution and Colonization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi under the Canopies of Desert Halophytes

Arid Land Research and Management, 2002

Temporal and spatial dynamics of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under the canopy of Zygophyllum dumosum Boiss. in the Negev Desert

Journal of Arid Environments, 2002

The temporal and spatial dynamics of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi were investigat... more The temporal and spatial dynamics of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi were investigated in a desert ecosystem. Soil samples under the canopy of Zygophyllum dumosum were collected monthly between November 1999 and October 2000 from 0-10 and 10-20 cm depths. VAM fungal colonization and spore density were used to compare the responses of VAM fungi to soil conditions. The mean percent colonization and spore density of VAM fungi reached maximal values in November 1999 and September 2000. Soil moisture was positively correlated with colonization of VAM structure groups. Vesicular and arbuscular colonization were positively correlated with soil organic matter and total soluble N. Spore density was also positively correlated with total soluble N. Our results suggest that spore density and the extent of vesicular and arbuscular colonization are useful indicators for evaluating changes in desert soil ecosystems.

Soil disturbance by soil animals on a topoclimatic gradient

European Journal of Soil Biology, 2004

We measured the area and volume of soil disturbed by various groups of animals at three sites on ... more We measured the area and volume of soil disturbed by various groups of animals at three sites on a topoclimatic gradient in the Judean Desert, Israel. Both the area and volume of soil disturbed by animals correlated with the cumulative precipitation of the winter rain season. Rodent activity accounted for most of the soil disturbance at all sites except for June 2001, when the volume of soil transported to the surface by ants in the construction of nest chambers accounted for most of the soil volume moved at the intermediate rainfall site. The aggregate stability of soil ejected from animal excavations was significantly lower than that of undisturbed soil during and immediately following the winter rain season, but not during the following dry seasons. The quantities of soil moved by ants in the Judean Desert were comparable to quantities moved by ants in the Chihuahuan Desert of North America.

Impact of grazing on soil biota in a Mediterranean grassland

by Stanislav Pen-Mouratov and Einav Mayzlish-gati

Land Degradation & Development, 2005

The effect of cattle grazing on the soil nematode and protozoan communities, and on microbial bio... more