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Effect of the Nematodes Acrobeloides Sp. and Mesodiplogaster Lheritieri on Substrate Utilization and Nitrogen and Phosphorous Mineralization in Soil
Author(s) -
Anderson R. V.,
Coleman D. C.,
Cole C. V.,
Elliott E. T.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1937720
Subject(s) - microcosm , mineralization (soil science) , nutrient , incubation , ecology , nitrogen , nitrogen cycle , biology , agronomy , substrate (aquarium) , environmental chemistry , chemistry , zoology , soil water , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Release of nutrients by bacterial—feeding nematodes may result in increased nutrient availability for plants. Effects of two species of bacterial—feeding nematodes on N and P mineralization and C—substrate utilization were examined in soil microcosms. Both nematodes increased the rate of 1 4 C—labelled glucose—C utilization and N and P mineralization after 10d. However, after 65 d incubation, soluble C, Pi and NH 4 + —N were similar in grazed and ungrazed systems. The bacterial grazers, although not directly affecting total decomposition, act to maintain the dynamic nature of the nutrient cycles.