Department of Plant & Soil Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA.
Annu Rev Phytopathol. 2010;48:371-94. doi: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-073009-114439.
Nematodes are aquatic organisms that depend on thin water films to live and move within existing pathways of soil pores of 25-100 mum diameter. Soil nematodes can be a tool for testing ecological hypotheses and understanding biological mechanisms in soil because of their central role in the soil food web and linkage to ecological processes. Ecological succession is one of the most tested community ecology concepts, and a variety of nematode community indices have been proposed for purposes of environmental monitoring. In contrast, theories of biogeography, colonization, optimal foraging, and niche partitioning by nematodes are poorly understood. Ecological hypotheses related to strategies of coexistence of nematode species sharing the same resource have potential uses for more effective biological control and use of organic amendments to foster disease suppression. Essential research is needed on nematodes in natural and agricultural soils to synchronize nutrient release and availability relative to plant needs, to test ecological hypotheses, to apply optimal foraging and niche partitioning strategies for more effective biological control, to blend organic amendments to foster disease suppression, to monitor environmental and restoration status, and to develop better predictive models for land-use decisions.
线虫是水生生物，依靠薄水膜在直径 25-100 微米的土壤孔隙现有通道内生存和移动。由于线虫在土壤食物网中的核心作用以及与生态过程的联系，它们可以成为测试生态假设和理解土壤生物机制的工具。生态演替是最受测试的群落生态学概念之一，已经提出了多种线虫群落指数用于环境监测。相比之下，线虫生物地理学、殖民、最佳觅食和生态位分化理论的理解还很有限。与共享相同资源的线虫物种共存策略相关的生态假设对于更有效的生物控制和利用有机肥料来促进疾病抑制具有潜在用途。需要对自然和农业土壤中的线虫进行必要的研究，以使其与植物的需求同步释放和提供养分，以测试生态假设，应用最佳觅食和生态位分化策略以实现更有效的生物控制，混合有机肥料以促进疾病抑制，监测环境和恢复状况，并为土地利用决策开发更好的预测模型。
