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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
[Effects of vegetation coverage on spatial distribution of soil nematode trophic groups]
Jianfen Hua1, Yong Jiang, Wenju Liang
1Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Acadeny of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China. huajf@iae.ac.cn
Abstract:
By the methods of classic statistics and geostatistics, this paper examined the spatial variability of soil nematodes and their trophic groups in bare and fallow plots at Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The results showed that soil pH had a negative effect on the plant-parasitic nematodes in both bare and fallow plots. The total number of soil nematodes was significantly higher in fallow than in bare plot, being 1 485.3 and 464.0 individuals per 100 g dry soil, respectively. The nugget (C0)/sill (C0 + C) ratio of total nematodes, plant-parasites and bacterivores were lower in fallow plot (27.3%-45.6%) than in bare plot (49.5%-100%). There was a significant difference in the spatial distribution of total nematodes and trophic groups between fallow and bare plots, indicating that vegetation coverage had an obvious effect on soil nematodes.
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