Abstract: By the methods ofin vivo observation and fixation-staining, this paper studied the community characteristics of soil ciliates in Taohuagou Forest Park and Fujiatan in Xiaolongshan Mountains of Gansu Province from August 2004 to March 2007. A total of 75 species belonging to 40 genera of 29 families from 11 orders of 3 classes were identified, among which, 43 species were found in Taohuagou Scenic Area, 51 species in Puduxia Scenic Area, and 28 species in Fujiatan, a site more seriously disturbed by human activities. Hypotrichida, Colpodida and Prostomatida were the dominant orders, and Colpoda steinii, Cyclidium oblongum, Tachysoma pellionella and Urosomoida agiliformiswere the dominant species. The Gleason-Margalef species diversity index in Taohuagou Scenic Area, Puduxia Scenic Area and Fujiatan was 4.61, 5.64 and 3.28, respectively, and the Jaccard similarity index between Taohuagou Scenic Area and Puduxia Scenic Area, Taohuagou Scenic Area and Fujiatan, and Puduxia Scenic Area and Fujiatan was 0.25, 0.22 and 0.18, respectively, suggesting that the species diversity and community structure of soil ciliates in intact environment were different from those in disturbed environment.

Key words: Ecosystem, Food nourishment, Different month aged sheep, Feed conversion rate