The effect of age of meadows on succession and diversity in soil nematode communities

Some parameters describing trophic and biocoenotic structures of soil nematode communities were analysed on meadows differing in age. The study was conducted on permanent meadows of the Anthyllidi Trifolietum montani association and on ley meadows belonging to the order Arrhenatheretalia (aged from 1 to 12 years). In the category of permanent and long utilized ley meadows (over 4 years old), the abundance of trophic groups, the indices of diversity - H' and the maturity index - MI of the community have higher ranges than in the category of young ley meadows (less than 4 years old). The maturity index was positively correlated with age of the meadows, thus with succession from a new-established ley meadow to permanent meadows. Trophic structure of nematode communities and the diversity of taxa more than maturity index depended on variation in environmental conditions other than the age of the meadows.