Nematodes of spruce forests at the Lyalsky test area in the European part of Russia (Komi Republic)

Study Extent

The dataset provides information on the number of individuals of nematode genera in soil cores collected from spruce forests situated in the test area of the middle taiga as part of the CARBON RITM project.

Sampling

The assessment of the taxonomic composition of soil nematodes was carried out in three types of spruce forests: spruce greenmoss forest, spruce sphagnum forest, spruce greenmoss-sphagnum forest. Three samples were taken from each forest type and separated into litter and mineral soil. A total of 18 samples were processed (2 layers×3 samples×3 forests).

Quality Control

Different taxonomic keys were used (Jairajpuri et al., 1992; Bongers, 1994; Brzeski, 1998). All specimens were identified to genera level by the specialist from the Institute of Biology of Komi Scientific Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Method steps

1. Soil samples were collected from the organic and mineral soil horizons. Three soil cores were taken at each site.
2. Nematodes were extracted from 50 g of fresh soil using the modified Baermann method (Ruess, 1995). Extraction lasted for 48 h.
3. Extracted nematodes were killed at 60 °C and then preserved in 4% formaldehyde.
4. Nematodes was processed to glycerin using Seinhorst solutions
5. Mounting nematodes to slides
6. Nematodes identification to the genus level using a inverted microscope

Soil nematodes are diminutive, wormlike organisms that inhabit water films and water-filled pore spaces within the soil. Constituting a dominant component of the soil community, they stand as the most abundant animals on Earth by a wide margin. Comprising an estimated four-fifths of all terrestrial animals, nematodes play a pivotal role in all major trophic levels of the soil food web.

1. Nematoda
   rank: phylum

The study was conducted in a spruce forests, taiga zone of northwestern Russia.