microfauna
Sign in to savethumb|250px| Scanning electron microscope image of a [[soybean cyst nematode and its egg]] Microfauna () are microscopic animals and organisms that exhibit animal-like qualities and have body sizes that are usually <0.1 mm. Microfauna are represented in the animal kingdom (e.g. nematodes, small arthropods) and some other heterotrophic, microscopic eukaryotes. A large amount of microfauna are soil microfauna which includes eukaryotic microbes, rotifers, and nematodes. These types of animal-like eukaryotic microbes and true animals are heterotrophic, largely feeding on bacteria. However, so
Article
9 sectionsContents
- Habitat
- Role
- Phyla
- Similar concepts
- [[Macrofauna]] vs Microfauna
- [[Microflora]] vs Microfauna
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|250px| Scanning electron microscope image of a [[soybean cyst nematode and its egg]] Microfauna () are microscopic animals and organisms that exhibit animal-like qualities and have body sizes that are usually 7 (~10 million) individuals per g−1 (0.1 g, or 1/10th of a gram) and are very common in plant litter, surface soils, and water films. Many microfauna, such as nematodes, inhabit soil habitats. Plant parasitic nematodes inhabit the roots of various plants, while free-living nematodes live in soil water films.
Microfauna also inhabit freshwater ecosystems. For example, freshwater microfauna in Australia include rotifers, ostracods, copepods, and cladocerans. Rotifers are filter feeders that are usually found in fresh water and water films. They consume a variety of things including bacteria, algae, plant cells and organic material.