Nematode Ecology in Soil Food Webs

Nematodes constitute one of the most abundant and functionally diverse groups of soil metazoans, occupying key trophic positions in detrital and rhizosphere food webs. Through feeding on bacteria, fungi, plant roots and other microfauna, nematodes influence nutrient mineralisation, soil structure and plant health. Bacterivorous and fungivorous taxa stimulate nutrient turnover by fragmenting microbial biomass, whereas plant-parasitic species can suppress crop productivity. Predatory and omnivorous nematodes regulate lower trophic levels, contributing to biological control and the stability of soil communities. The composition and activity of nematode assemblages respond sensitively to edaphic factors, land management and climate-driven changes in moisture and temperature. Advances in experimental mesocosms, high-throughput sequencing and ecological indices have deepened understanding of how nematodes link below- and above-ground processes and underpin soil ecosystem services on a global scale.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent experimental reconstructions of intact soil food webs in mesocosms demonstrate that the full complement of native nematode communities markedly enhances nitrogen and phosphorus mineralisation under high-input conditions, leading to significant increases in plant biomass and nutrient uptake. Such work has revealed mechanistic links between nematode grazing, microbial community shifts and nutrient availability. Complementary studies employing combined morphological assessment and DNA metabarcoding have characterised the effects of contrasting cropping systems—conventional tillage, no-till and organic—on nematode diversity and trophic structure. These investigations show that organic amendments promote higher richness and evenness of bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematodes, while reduced soil disturbance influences maturity indices indicative of ecosystem stability. Further research on long-term fertilisation practices within soil aggregates has highlighted how straw incorporation and manure application improve soil physicochemical properties and support nematode survival in small aggregate fractions, thereby reinforcing nematode contributions to nutrient cycling.

Nematode Ecology in Soil Food Webs publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nematode ecology in soil food webs across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Soil food web: network of organisms and trophic interactions in soil, from microorganisms to higher predators.

Mesocosm: controlled experimental system that simulates natural soil conditions for ecological study.

DNA metabarcoding: high-throughput sequencing technique for identifying multiple taxa from environmental DNA samples.

Trophic group: category of nematodes defined by feeding behaviour, including bacterivores, fungivores, plant-parasites and predators.

Maturity Index: community metric reflecting the proportion of coloniser versus persister nematode taxa, indicating disturbance or stability.

References

1. Interactions Between Bacterivorous Nematodes and Bacteria Reduce N2O Emissions. Advanced Science (2025).
2. Nematodes as suppressors and facilitators of plant performance. New Phytologist (2023).
3. Nematodes enhance plant growth and nutrient uptake under C and N-rich conditions. Scientific Reports (2016).
4. Characterization of soil nematode communities in three cropping systems through morphological and DNA metabarcoding approaches. Scientific Reports (2018).
5. Effect of long-term combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil nematode communities within aggregates. Scientific Reports (2016).
6. Nematode-based indices in soil ecology: Application, utility, and future directions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2022).