L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 13. 2000 (Budapest, 2000)
Szabó, A.: A contribution to the Ciliata (Protozoa) fauna of chernozem soils
ChemOZem SOil 1 1 Gymnostomata Alkaline Soil V^C M Vestibutifera B BS Hypostomata I I Hymenostomata [ÏÏTÏÏÏÏ11 P^tricha B| Spirotricha Fig. 1. Changes in the dominancy of systematical classes of ciliates Analysing of the dominance of higher taxonomic groups it turns out that Kinetofragminophora and Polyhymenophora species are present with same proportion (Table 3., Fig. 1), Olygohymenophora represent only 12%. It is remarkable that Polyhymenophora were represented mainly by Hypotrichida, which means that they give almost 46% of the Ciliata fauna of chernozem soils. In alkaline soils 54-75% of the Ciliata fauna belongs to Hypotrichida. This phenomenon is obviously due to the thinness of capillars and water films developing in them, thus Ciliata are not able to establish and move on the surface of the granules (Fig. 1). According to our calculations the estimated biomass of Ciliata (based on the cultivated numbers of individuals) is 24 kg/ha in the 0-10 cm layer, while in the 10-20 cm one 42 kg/ha. These data show that the biomass represented by Ciliata communities is a significant contribution to the pool of organic materials of chernozem soils, and their function in the food chain is also of a high importance (Table 2). Some representatives of the microfauna (Flagellata, Amoeba) are active even in small (11-18 volume %) water content. Ciliata species usually encyst at 13 volume %. According to our observations — in contrary with the opinion of Bonnet (1964) and Horváth (1950) — in the soils, including chernozem ones, the number of individuals of Ciliata is increasing parallel with the increasing water-supply. Thus depending upon the changes in the water-supply there can be even more reproduction peaks and increases in the abundance. Within the vegetation period, based on our experiences the activation of Protozoa in chernozem soils — referred to a given unit of time — is more intensive than in alkaline soils. This can be explained by the different chemical and physical characteristics of the soils concerned, and also by the differences in the amount of the available, biologically accessible nutrients.
