Biomass calculation for plant-parasitic nematodes reveals variability across genera of the same family

Abstract

Summary Nematodes are the most abundant metazoan organisms in soils. Plant-parasitic nematodes are a component of nematode communities. Biomass calculation is an important step to link biological communities to ecosystem functioning and services. In the present study, the biomass (fresh weight) of plant-parasitic nematodes was calculated based on a database with taxon-specific body-size values (length and the ratio of length to the greatest body diam.) using publicly available literature. In total, 1653 reported populations worldwide belonging to 890 species from 115 genera of all the families in the infraorder Tylenchomorpha, as well as Longidoridae (order Dorylaimida) and Trichodoridae (order Triplonchida), were included in the calculations. In each of the included genera and families, biomass was estimated for different life stages. The results revealed that certain families should not be treated as an entity for the purposes of ecological studies as they contain different biomass values that may confer different effects on their ecosystems. Members of the family Dolichodoridae sensu lato should be treated as four separate families, viz. Dolichodoridae sensu stricto, Belonolaimidae, Merliniidae and Telotylenchidae. Members of the families Anguinidae, Pratylenchidae and Tylenchulidae should also each be grouped into subcategories on the basis of their body shape (vermiform, fusiform, obese or swollen). The results of the present work may be helpful in studies on nematode community structure, in particular to estimate respiration, assimilation and metabolic footprints of plant-parasitic nematodes.