Free-Living Nematode Associations in Pool 19, Mississippi River

ABSTRACT

Nematodes were sampled in Pool 19 of the Mississippi River in several habitat types along a latitudinal transects and within the same habitat type for the entire length of the pool. While bacterial-feeding nematodes, particularly Tobrilus, dominated the community in most habitat types, plant-feeding nematodes produced distinct communities in vegetated areas. Density changed over the length of the pool, but taxonomic composition did not. Current velocity and its effect on substrate type and organic matter content of the substrate appear to be important habitat characteristics which affect nematode communities.