Nematode diversity in terrestrial, freshwater aquatic and marine systems.

Abstract

This chapter is an attempt to bring together the studies of nematode diversity in terrestrial, freshwater aquatic and marine environments, and to synthesize these into some sort of general hypotheses. Such hypotheses can then be used as the bases for a range of other scientific activities, including biomonitoring and hypothesis testing. The effects of many of the variables in studies of nematode diversity, such as methods used, resolution or scope of studies, and measures of diversity are discussed first. With this background, studies on nematode diversity are then summarized and compared at a general level. Finally, hypotheses of the general patterns and processes of nematode diversity are discussed. These general patterns form the natural background for biomonitoring: to evaluate any effect of an environmental change one must know the situation expected without the change, including the expected magnitude and direction of the effects of environmental change.