Community characteristics of soil ciliates in the Mayan Forest Region of Xiaolong Mountains, Gansu.

The community characteristics of soil ciliates in the Mayan Forest Region of Xiaolong Mountains was studied by live observation and silver staining from July 2006 to November 2007. Ninety one species,including 8 unnamed species,were identified.The structure of the community was complex and composed of 42 genera,28 families,11 orders and 3 classes. Hypotrichida was the dominant group,Colpodida and Prostomatida were the subdominant groups,Pleurostomatida,Peritrichida and Oligotrichida were the incidental group,and Colpoda inflata,Cyrtolophosis elongata,Leptopharynx eurystoma and Cyclidium oblongum were the dominant species.The result showed the rich species in the community of soil ciliates,the community of soil ciliates was dissimilar between samples in the Mayan Forest Region of Xiaolong Mountains,which indicated the difference of ecological environment in the Mayan Forest Region of Xiaolong Mountains.The community characteristics of soil ciliates were discussed based on analysis on the complexity and uniqueness of ecological environment in the Mayan Forest Region of Xiaolong Mountains.