El Poblament microfaunístic dels medis àrids mediterranis

Resum

In this paper some aspects of the microfaunistic population of the arid biotopes of Western mediterranean countries are exposed. The desert milieu, the steppoidean lands and the dray moss habitats are specially treated. Special references concern the Iberian peninsula and North Africa.
In the desertic ambients the soil life in Saharian lands is studied, and its population referred to Bacteria, Fungi, Algae and hydrophilic elements of microfauna: Thecamoebians, Ciliates, Rotifers, Tardigrada and Nematoda. Among these, specially notable are Rhabditis producta , Helichothylenchus africanus, Plectus granulosus and Acrobeloides butschlii.
In the steppoidean milieu the littoral plains of Morocco and the Ebro basin in Spain principally are studied in the same way. Special reference to gypsum soils and salt water habitats are given. Among the Nematoda are typical Eudorylaimus carteri, Mesodorylaimus bastiani, Plectus cirratus, P. parietinus, Tylenchus (F.) filiformis, Rhabditis pellio and Acrobeloides emarginatus.
The dry moss habitats of Central and SW counties of Iberian peninsula, including also the calcareous rocks. The microfauna is more rich and the dominant forms among the Nematoda are Eudorylaimus carteri, Plectus cirratus and Tylenchus (F.) filiformis, followed by Rhabdolaimus terrestris, Mesodorylaimus bastiani, Wilsonema auriculatum, Teratocephalus crassidens, Ditylenchus intermedius, Acrobeloides emarginatus and Cephalobus nanus.
The desert and dry milieus are not uninhabited places; the microfaunistic population in arid environments is important and very significative.