ИСТИНА

Mangrove trees and their roots are assuming to be one of the most important factors to structure the life on the intertidal zone of tropical seas. Nematodes diversity, species composition and the structure of the communities are affected greatly by mangrove vegetation. Species composition of the assemblages reflects mainly the type of root system of different mangrove species and therefore should depend on mangrove species diversity and composition both in local and geographical scales. Sharp gradient of the diversity of mangrove species occurs from Indo-West Pacific to the East and to the West. Here we are comparing our own and literature data on the taxonomic composition of free-living nematodes in mangrove areas of the region. Mangroves of the South Vietnam are rich by species; about 38-39 species are reported from there. In Persian Gulf the diversity of mangroves is reduced to a single species. India and West coast of Africa keep the intermediate position in terms of mangrove diversity. Taxonomic composition and diversity patterns are compared along this gradient to test in which extend diversity of mangroves does affect species diversity and composition of associated fauna. (Support: RFBR 21-54-54006 and RFBR 20-54-56038;). – 1P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS, Moscow, Russia. E-mail: vadim@ocean.ru; 2Moscow State University, Biological Dept., Moscow, Russia