ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Soil Nematode Trophic Groups in Four Different Plantations in Southern China: Implications for Restoration
Cancan Zhao1, Feng Sun1, 2, Chengde Yu1, Lili Zhu1, Ying Li1, Zhenxing Zhou1, Guangfei Yang1, Wenjuan Wang1, Renhui Miao1
 
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1International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, College of Life Sciences,
Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
2Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
 
 
Submission date: 2017-07-27
 
 
Final revision date: 2017-09-15
 
 
Acceptance date: 2017-09-15
 
 
Online publication date: 2018-02-06
 
 
Publication date: 2018-03-12
 
 
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2018;27(3):1379-1386
 
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ABSTRACT
Intensive anthropogenic disturbances have caused forest ecosystem degradation and soil erosion. Exotic fast-growing species are selected as pioneer species for restoration in degraded hilly lands of southern China. To better understand the potentials of the soil nematode trophic group composition in carbon sequestration, we investigated nematode trophic groups in Acacia, Eucalyptus, and Schima (native species as control) monoculture plantations in southern China after 23 years of reforestation. Our results showed that although total soil nematode abundance was not affected, the Acacia plantation significantly altered nematode trophic group composition over native species. Bacterivore and microbivore abundance, trophic diversity, and microbivore-driven soil organic carbon storage were higher in Acacia mangium than Schima superba. In contrast, plant parasitic nematode abundance and fungivore/bacterivore ratio were lower in Acacia mangium than Schima superba. As a result, Acacia mangium as a fast-growing pioneer tree species could be widely planted to maintain soil biodiversity and store carbon in restoring degraded forests in southern China. Eucalyptus exserta plantation enlarged the soil nematode community, including bacterivores, fungivores, and herbivores, suggesting that there is almost no allelopathy when eliminating anthropogenic disturbance in this study. Reasonable management is crucial for providing timber products and improving the ecological function of Eucalyptus plantations. Our results also highlight the critical roles of soil water and nutrient availability in regulating soil nematode trophic group composition and carbon sequestration.
eISSN:2083-5906
ISSN:1230-1485
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