Nematodes are the most wide spread multicellular animals in nature and analysis of nematodes in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments as well as their role and function in ecosystems, can be used for environmental monitoring. Compared to other organisms, they offer the greatest potential as bioindicators and can be used to study gene expression in relation to environmental challenges, to monitor changing impacts on the environment and in laboratory ecotoxicity tests. This volume addresses classical and molecular approaches to nematode community analysis, the contemporary field of nematodes as biosensors, as well as genomic aspects of nematode bioindicators. In addition, the case studies stress the importance of these bioindicators and demonstrate the commercial potential of these technologies.

Nematodes are the most wide spread multicellular animals in Nature and analysis of nematodes in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments as well as their role and function in ecosystems can be used for environmental monitoring. Classical and molecular approaches to nematode community analysis will be addressed and the contemporary field of nematodes as biosensors and genomic and post genomic aspects of nematode bioindicators will also be included. Case studies stress the importance of these bioindicators and demonstrate the commercial potential of these technologies.

This book contains 22 chapters on various aspects of freshwater nematode ecology and taxonomy. Subjects covered include the techniques for processing freshwater nematodes, the composition and distribution of free living freshwater nematodes, their abundance, biomass and diversity, the production of freshwater nematodes, their feeding ecology, patterns in size structure of freshwater nematode communities, different nematode habitats, and computation and application of nematode community indices. It provides descriptions with figures of each taxon at the genus level and above to currently valid genera. For every genus, a complete list of species, with an emphasis on biogeography, is given for primarily freshwater taxa and a list of only those species reported from freshwater bodies is given for the genera that are considered primarily non-freshwater. This book is intended to provide a useful reference to students, beginners and established researchers in the field of freshwater nematology, benthologists, invertebrate biologists, limnologists, ecologists, microbiologists and soil biologists.

The offered volume intends to review the biological control theme of phytonematodes from several prospects: ecological; applicative as well as commercial state of the art; understanding the mode-of-action of various biocontrol systems; interaction between the plant host, nematodes’ surface and microorganism’s; candidates for biocontrol; extrapolation of the wide knowledge existed in another systems for understanding biocontrol processes: C. elegans as a model and lessons from other natural systems; and exploiting advanced genomic tools to promote understanding biocontrol processes and thereafter improve specific biological control agents.

This volume gives a detailed morphology of the dorylaims and provides a thorough overview of their feeding behaviour, reproduction, ecology, and diversity. You will learn what dorylaims are like and how they live.