Free-Living Nematodes
Free-Living Nematodes
- They are the bacterivores, fungivores, carnivores/predaceous, and the omnivores
- Free-living nematodes are valuable indicators of soil health because they are abundant, easily sampled, and have diverse life strategies that respond readily to changes in soil conditions.
- Their presence, diversity, and the way they interact within the soil food web offer insights into nutrient cycling, soil disturbance, and overall soil health
- They regulate the populations of other soil organisms, mineralize nutrients into plant-available forms, provide a food source for other soil organisms and consume disease-causing organisms, including the plant-parasitic nematodes
- They are important nutrient mineralizers
