Chval,M., G. Bird, M. Berney, and G. Garrity
Presented at the Campus Symposium (2001-04-19 )
Pasteruia consists of a group of gram-positive, endospore-forming bacteria that are parasites of nematodes and possibly other invertebrates. Pasteuria penetrans has shown potential as a biological control agent of plant parasitic nematodes in Florida. Relatively little is known about the occurrence of Pasteuria spp. in Michigan and other northern climates. The objective of this study was to assess the occurrence of this bacterium throughout the LTER at KBS. Twenty-two LTER plots were surveyed for Pasteuria spp. during the summer of 2000. The sites surveyed included old-field succession (>30 years since the last disturbance), natural succession (13 years since last disturbance), moderately disturbed (mowed annually) and highly disturbed (annual tillage). Pasteruia spp. were detected in 77% of the sites. The incidence of occurrence was 1.07% (98 of 9,183 specimens). Although Pasteuria spp. were found primarily associated with herbaceous nematodes, they were also found attached to both fungivores (Figure 2) and bacterivores. In a number of cases the entire nematode body was converted to Pasteuria spp endospores encapsulated within the nematode cuticle. The incidence of occurrence of Pasteuria spp. appeared to be related to the extent of ecosystem disturbance. It was most common in the highly disturbed ecosystems and least common in the old fields that had not been disturbed for more than 30 years.
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