Nematodes are the most wide spread multicellular animals in Nature and analysis of nematodes in terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments as well as their role and function in ecosystems can be used for environmental monitoring. Classical and molecular approaches to nematode community analysis will be addressed and the contemporary field of nematodes as biosensors and genomic and post genomic aspects of nematode bioindicators will also be included. Case studies stress the importance of these bioindicators and demonstrate the commercial potential of these technologies.
1. Role of nematodes in ecosystems G Yeates, H Ferris, W van der Putten and T Moens
2. Nematode biodiversity: Marine, freshwater and terrestrial nematodes M Vinx, W Traunspurger and M Hodda
3. Community indices D A Neher and B J Darby
4. Indices developed specifically for nematode community analyses H Ferris and R de Goede
5. Molecular markers, indicator species, and community indices - the issue of bio-indication accuracy K Ekschmitt
6. Case studies using classical nematode community analysis methods A Zullini, R Danovaro, C Gambi, S Mirto and P Nagy
7. Molecular approaches used with nematodes and their communities as bioindicators M Wilson, T Kakouli-Duarte and J Bundy
8. Case studies using molecular nematode community analysis methods R Neilson and J Helder
9. Nematode ecotoxicity testing S Hoss and P L Williams
10. Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans biosensors A Glover, C Lagido and K L Chow
11. Gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans in response to environmental pollution using genomic DNA microarray analysis R Menzel and C E W Steinberg
12. Commercialisation potential of nematodes as bioindicators M Trett