ARMENTEROS Maickel, Cuba
Abstract
Nematodes are the most abundant and ubiquitous invertebrates in marine sediments. They contribute more than 90% of the total density of meiofauna, and are also an important component of the macrofauna.
This project aims at building capacity in nematode taxonomy by:
- Determination of structural (e.g. biomass, diversity) and functional features (e.g. production, turn-over ratio) of assemblages in selected areas;
- Application of the knowledge on assemblages in order to use nematodes in the monitoring and evaluation of stress,
- Identification of nematode fauna andcollection of vouchers
- Transfer of gained knowledge to other people.
A large literature body suggests than identification of nematodes to genus is sufficient enough to determine essential aspects of their ecology. It has been suggested that the use of nematodes as bio-monitors can be carried out using the data from the composition by genus of assemblages. The ecological and “applied” approach of this project would be fulfilled on the basis of building taxonomic expertise in order to identify nematodes to genus. The third aim requires deeper knowledge and practice on taxonomy and demands a longer time to fulfill it; but an initial suitable frame would be obtained with this training.
Training location: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Ghent University, University of Havana.
Gained personal capacity: On 2 December 2009 M. ARMENTEROS obtained his PhD from theUniversity of Gent in Belgium. His PhD entitled'Ecology and Taxonomy of Free-Living Marine Nematodes from CienfuegosBay, Caribbean Sea' and promoted by Dr. W. Decraemer from the RoyalBelgian institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels is a show-case on howstate-of-the art taxonomy can successfully drive forward ecologicalunderstanding of a naturalenvironment.
RBINS taxonomist Dr W. DECRAEMER flanked by her PhD student M. ARMENTEROS minutes after a successful PhD defense
Gained institutional capacity: M. ARMENTEROS home institution (Centro de InvestigacionesMarinas, Universidad de La Habana) has a functional laboratory specialized in marinenematodes, with the main focus of identification of specimens of this group fortaxonomic and ecological purposes. Since CIM-UH is an academic institution,several thesis and trainings to students have done and other ones are inprogress.
Selected output:
- Armenteros, M. 2009. Ecology and Taxonomy of Free-Living Marine Nematodes from Cienfuegos Bay, Caribbean Sea. PhD thesis, Ghent University, 204 pp.
Armenteros, M., Ruiz-Abierno, A., Fernández-Garcés, R., Pérez-García, J.A., Díaz-Asencio, L., Vincx, M. & Decraemer, W. 2009. Biodiversity patterns of free-living marine nematodes in a tropical bay: Cienfuegos, Caribbean Sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 85: 179-189.
