Prescribed fire alters nematode communities in an old-field grassland.

ABSTRACT: Fire is a common disturbance in many biomes, with both beneficial and detrimental effects on soil biology, which largely depend on fire intensity. However, little is known about the impact of fire on soil nematode communities in terrestrial ecosystem. In the present study, we investigated the effects of short-term prescribed fire on soil nematode communities and soil properties in an old-field grassland in Northern China. The results showed that burning significantly increased soil nematode abundance by 77% and genus richness by 49% compared to the control. Burning also decreased taxon dominance by 45% (Simpson's D) and increased nematode diversity by 31% (Shannon-Weaver H'). However, burning increased plant parasites (particularly genera Cephalenchus and Pratylench

SUBMITTER: Song M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10065976 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature