Concilience in Entomopathogenic Nematode Responses to Water Potential and Their Geospatial Patterns in Florida.

ABSTRACT: The geospatial patterns of four species of native entomopathogenic nematodes in Florida were previously shown to be related to soil properties that affect soil water potential. Here we compared the responses to water potential of third stage, infective juvenile (IJ), Steinernema sp. (Sx), and Steinernema diaprepesi (Sd) in controlled conditions. The two species were selected because they are closely related (Steinernema glaseri-group), but tend to occupy different habitats. In columns of sandy soil with moisture gradients ranging from field capacity (6% w:w) to saturated (18%), Sx migrated toward wetter soil whereas Sd migrated toward drier soil. Survival of two isolates each of Sx and Sd for 7 days in the absence of food was greatest at 18 and 6% soil moisture, respectively. After three c

SUBMITTER: El-Borai F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4814458 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature