Seasonal fluctuations of the nematode communities in a hop garden soil

A study on the seasonal fluctuation of nematode population was conducted during three vegetation periods (2005 – 2007), at 20 and 40 cm soil depth, from May to October, in a hop garden at Nemšová (Slovak Republic). The seasonal fluctuation of the nematode population was related to temperature and rainfall. At 20 cm soil depth of each year, the largest nematode population was recorded in July, and the smallest from July to October. At 40 cm soil depth, nematode abundance was not significantly different between the years 2006 and 2007. In general, at the same depth, a decrease of nematode abundance was observed from May to October. The soil nematode community was rich in bacteriovorous nematodes, especially in the top 20 cm soil. The genus Rhabditis was the eudominant taxon at both soil depths. This genus with the genera Cephalobus, Heterodera, Merlinius and Aglenchus represented the 50 % of the total nematode population at 20 cm soil depth and with the genera Cephalobus, Helicotylenchus, Heterodera and Merlinius represented the 52 % of total nematodes abundance at 40 cm depth.