黄土高原植被景观多尺度变化及其与地形的响应关系

基于RS和GIS技术,利用黄土高原近30年不同分辨率的归一化植被指数(NDVI),采用基于小波分析的多尺度空间统计学方法,研究不同时期黄土高原植被景观的多尺度变化特征及其与地形的响应关系。结果表明:(1)黄土高原植被景观1982—2011年期间发生了周期性变化。其中,1990年以前为植被恢复阶段,1990—2001年为植被退化阶段,2001年以后为植被恢复阶段。(2)植被景观的空间异质性与数据获取的时间、数据分辨率、空间位置和地形均有关。一方面,植被指数和数据分辨率越高,植被景观的空间异质性就越大,而且沿经度方向植被景观的空间差异性大于纬度方向;另一方面,NDVI的多尺度变化特征与地形因子有不同程度的相关性,表现为:高程地形湿度坡度坡向,这对于今后黄土高原植被景观的合理布局,提高生物多样性,控制水土流失,增强景观的连续性具有特别重要的意义,也可为指导生态环境建设提供基础资料。     

不同尺度上植物叶气孔导度对升高CO2的响应

植物叶气孔导度对大气CO2浓度升高的响应可表现在以下几个层面：在叶水平上,叶气孔导度和气孔密度下降;在植物个体水平上,单位叶面积蒸腾下降,植株的水分利用率升高;在生态系统水平上,蒸散降低,土壤泾流和土壤水分含量增加;在全球尺度上,扩大了温室气体的增温效应,同时也降低了全球降雨量增加的趋势。正是因为植物叶气孔导度的变化会影响全球水循环,所以它在全球变化中起着非常重要的作用。但目前的研究结果还不能外推到更大的尺度上去。     

富硒植物与人体健康

硒是生态环境中的一个重要微量元素。1957年施瓦茨发现,硒有抗氧化作用,并首次提出硒是人体的必需元素。同年,谷跳甘肽过氧化物酶被发现。1971年,Rotz－uch证明,硒是该酶的组成成分。1973年,世界卫生组织宣布硒是人体生命的必需元素。近年,德国植物营养学家已将硒列于植物有益元素的行列。硒通过生物地球化学营养链：岩石一土壤和水一植物一动物和人给人和动物以影响。几十年来的研究结果表明,人和动物的四十多种疾病与体内硒缺乏有关,典型疾病如地方性克山病、大骨节病、牲畜的白肌病。禽类的渗出性素质等,而硒制剂对这些疾病均…     

光学透明技术在植物多尺度成像中的应用

光学透明技术是一种通过各种化学试剂,将原本不透明的生物样本实现透明化,并在光学显微镜下深度成像的技术。结合多种光学显微成像新技术,光学透明技术可对整个组织进行成像和三维重建,深度剖析生物体内部空间特征与形成机制。近年来,多种植物光学透明技术和多尺度成像技术被陆续研发,并取得了丰硕的研究成果。该文综述了生物体光学透明技术的基本原理和一些新技术,重点介绍基于光学透明技术开发的新型成像方法及其在植物成像与细胞生物学中的应用,为后续植物整体、组织或器官的透明、成像与三维重构及功能研究提供理论依据和技术支持。     

植物气孔导度的环境响应模拟及其尺度扩展

气孔导度是衡量植物和大气间水分、能量及CO2平衡和循环的重要指标,探讨气孔导度与环境因子的关系及其模拟,以及气孔导度在叶片、冠层及区域尺度间的尺度转换及累积效应,对更好地认识植被与大气间的水热运移过程,合理评价植被在陆面过程中的地位和作用都具有重要意义。从植物气孔导度与环境因子的关系、气孔导度模拟以及尺度扩展三个方面,对前人的研究成果进行了概括总结。从叶片和冠层两个尺度出发,归纳总结了前人对于不同植物气孔导度与环境因子关系的研究成果,发现由于不同植物的遗传特性、测定时的环境、时间尺度的不同,以及未考虑各个环境因子的相互作用对气孔导度的影响,由此得到的气孔导度与环境因子之间的关系也不尽一致。对各单一环境因子与气孔导度的关系,给出了生理学解释,从根本上说明了环境因子变化对气孔导度的影响,而研究环境因子对气孔导度的综合影响时,应对各环境因子进行系统控制与同步观测。模拟计算植物气孔导度的模型主要有Jarvis模型和BWB模型两类,这些模型的模拟能力随着研究对象、试验区域、环境条件的改变而存在一定的差异,在具体使用时应结合实际情况选择最优模型进行模拟。除上述常用模型外,还总结了其他学者分别从不同角度提出的新的模型,对现有气孔导度模型进行了全面的总结。从叶片-冠层、冠层-区域两个方面归纳总结了前人关于气孔导度尺度扩展的研究成果,发现叶片-冠层的尺度扩展研究较成熟而冠层-区域的尺度扩展在模拟精度的验证方面存在困难。针对以下几个方面提出了今后气孔导度的研究重点:(1)结合研究对象所在的区域及环境条件,选择最优模型进行模拟;(2)综合考虑环境因子之间的相互作用及其对气孔导度的累积影响;(3)BWB模型与光合模型的耦合;(4)提高大尺度范围内的气孔导度模拟精度。     

多尺度生态系统服务的权衡关系及其对景观配置的响应——以湖北省为例

多种生态系统服务相互关系及其对景观配置响应的多尺度分析一直是生态系统服务研究的热点问题,对于厘清生态系统服务尺度效应和实现区域分级管理具有重要的意义。以湖北省为研究区域,采用遥感、土地利用类型、水文、气象、土壤等多元数据,从5 km×5 km、10 km×10 km、15 km×15 km、20 km×20 km、25 km×25 km、县域和市域等7个递增尺度分析4种生态系统服务(水源供给、碳固持、粮食生产、水质净化)对景观配置的响应关系。结果表明：(1)4种生态系统服务的空间分布具有较强的异质性,粮食生产服务的高值区与水质净化服务的低值区主要分布于湖北省中部和东部的耕地集中区域,碳固持与水源供给呈现相反的空间特征。(2)生态系统服务权衡关系的作用强度随尺度增加而减弱,而协同关系呈增加趋势;同时服务间相互作用强度的变化大于作用方向的变化。(3)景观配置对生态系统服务的影响程度在县域和市域尺度上大于格网尺度。结果反映了受尺度变化中“削峰填谷”过程的影响,景观配置对生态系统服务影响的大小和正负效应具有尺度差异性。研究结果可为区域生态系统服务分级管理和景观格局调控提供科学参考。     

基于多光谱影像的森林树种识别及其空间尺度响应

当前,不同空间分辨率卫星影像对森林类型识别结果中普遍存在的尺度效应,而且纹理参量对不同尺度下树种识别精度的影响仍缺乏广泛认知.本研究以中国东北旺业甸林场为研究区,采用观测时相同步、地理坐标匹配的GF-1 PMS、GF-2 PMS、GF-1 WFV,以及Landsat-8 OLI卫星传感器数据组成空间尺度观测序列(1、2、4、8、16、30 m),并结合支持向量机(SVM)模型,探讨了区域内5种优势树种遥感识别结果的尺度变化规律及其纹理特征参数的影响,同时检验了基于尺度上推转换影像的树种识别结果差异.结果表明: 影像空间分辨率对区域树种识别结果具有显著影响,其中,研究区森林树种识别的最佳影像分辨率为4 m,当分辨率降低至30 m时,树种识别结果最差.在1～8 m影像分辨率范围内,增加纹理信息能够显著提高不同优势树种的识别精度,使总分类精度提升了2.0%～3.6%,但纹理信息对16～30 m影像的识别结果没有显著影响.与真实尺度卫星影像相比,基于升尺度转换影像的树种识别结果及其尺度响应特征存在显著差异,表明在面向多个空间尺度的遥感观测和应用研究中,需要采用真实分辨率影像以确保结果的准确性.     

武夷山风景名胜区景观格局与环境因子的多尺度响应研究

在3S技术平台支撑下,用典范对应分析排序方法对武夷山风景区景观格局与环境因子的关系及其尺度效应进行了分析。结果表明,在6个取样尺度上(粒度分别为30 m、90 m、150 m、210 m、300 m和450 m),排序轴总特征值呈递减趋势,依次为9.626、7.814、5.708、4.019、3.386、2.310;前4轴累积景观环境解释量变化程度小(97.3%~98.8%),前2轴各尺度平均累积解释量为89.4%,景观-环境的相关系数呈先减后增趋势。6个尺度中环境因子与景观格局的平均相关系数依次为郁闭度(0.7989^**)>腐殖质层厚度(0.7248^**)>海拔(0.6083^**)>坡度(0.6132^**)>经度(-0.4064^**)>土层厚度(0.3696^**)>纬度(0.0614)>坡向(0.0295)。风景区景观类型可划分为3类,即与海拔因子密切相关的裸地、河流、建设用地、农田景观,与土壤因子密切相关的杉木林、马尾松林、阔叶林景观,以及受人类活动密切相关的茶园、经济林、竹林、灌草丛景观。因此,风景区景观格局与环境因子间的关系具有尺度效应,各环境因子对排序轴相关系数的影响规律在6个取样尺度内可尺度推绎。     

广州市农业土壤As和Cd污染及其对景观异质性的多尺度响应

以广州市为例,基于2005年641个农业表层(0～20 cm)土壤样点数据和土地利用数据,采用单因子污染指数、Pearson/Spearman相关分析和偏冗余分析方法,探讨土壤As和Cd污染及其与3种网格尺度(2 km×2 km、5 km×5 km和10 km×10 km)景观异质性的定量关系,识别特定尺度起决定作用的景观异质因子.结果表明: 土壤As和Cd均存在不同程度的污染,超标率为5.3%和7.2%; 3个尺度上,土壤As和Cd污染普遍与成土母质构成、河流/道路密度和特定土地利用类型的景观格局呈显著相关,成土母质、污水灌溉和人类活动(如工业交通活动、农药化肥施用等)可能是农业重金属输入的主要途径;3组景观异质因子(即成土母质、距离-密度变量和景观格局)可解释土壤As和Cd污染变异的12.7%～42.9%,解释力度随网格尺度递增,并且在特定尺度上起决定作用的景观异质因子因尺度而异.成土母质对土壤污染变异的贡献在2和10 km网格尺度较大,而景观格局和距离-密度变量的贡献整体随网格由小到大递增.调整农用地分布和优化景观格局是减少局部尺度上土壤重金属输入的重要途径,应引起城市规划和决策者的足够重视.     

城市化景观格局对本土植物多样性的多尺度影响——以北京市顺义区为例

景观格局对植物多样性的影响已经在很多研究中得到了验证,但有关城市景观的影响仍然知之甚少。为了探究城市化景观格局对植物多样性的影响及其尺度效应,本研究在北京市顺义区调查了105个样地,计算每个样地的α和β多样性指数;并以100 m为步长,分析了100～1000 m范围内的10个尺度43个城市的景观格局指数。结果表明: 在所有尺度上,城市景观面积指数、核心类指数和边缘指数与本土植物多样性均呈负相关;形状复杂性指数在小尺度内有利于植物多样性,而面积加权复杂性指数则在较大尺度上影响明显。其他指数如城市斑块的连接性、邻近性、内聚性、破碎性和散布并列指数与本土植物多样性之间的关系轻微且不稳定。城市化强度与尺度呈负相关,与各个尺度的植物多样性呈负相关。合理将城市区域分为许多边缘简单的小斑块,能够更好地保护本土植物多样性。该研究提出了保护城市植物多样性的景观格局建议,为生态城市建设提供参考。     

Observing micro-evolutionary processes of viral populations at multiple scales

Advances in sequencing technology coupled with new integrative approaches to data analysis provide a potentially transformative opportunity to use pathogen genome data to advance our understanding of transmission. However, to maximize the insights such genetic data can provide, we need to understand more about how the microevolution of pathogens is observed at different scales of biological organization. Here, we examine the evolutionary processes in foot-and-mouth disease virus observed at different scales, ranging from the tissue, animal, herd and region. At each scale, we observe analogous processes of population expansion, mutation and selection resulting in the accumulation of mutations over increasing time scales. While the current data are limited, rates of nucleotide substitution appear to be faster over individual-to-individual transmission events compared with those observed at a within-individual scale suggesting that viral population bottlenecks between individuals facilitate the fixation of polymorphisms. Longer-term rates of nucleotide substitution were found to be equivalent in individual-to-individual transmission compared with herd-to-herd transmission indicating that viral diversification at the herd level is not retained at a regional scale.     

Relationships between stream macroinvertebrates and environmental variables at multiple spatial scales

1. Aquatic communities are structured by multiple forces, and identifying the driving factors over multispatial scales is an important research issue. The East Asian monsoon region is globally one of the richest environments in terms of biodiversity, and is undergoing rapid human development, yet the river ecosystems in this region have not been well studied. We applied a hierarchical framework to incorporate regional and local environmental effects on stream macroinvertebrate communities in this region. The knowledge gained is expected to improve the understanding of the importance of spatial scale on regional and local diversity in the East Asian monsoon region. 2. A national data set of benthic macroinvertebrates and environmental variables (geographical, land‐use, hydrological, substratum and physicochemical elements) in Korean rivers was used to determine the habitat preferences of macroinvertebrates. 3. Latitude, proportion of forest coverage, riffle habitat, silt substratum and temperature were the most important determinants for the ordinations of macroinvertebrate communities in each category evaluated by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The optimal habitats for stream macroinvertebrates are not the same for all species, and overall community metrics and abundance of sensitive species tended to be lower in open agricultural and urban streams than in forested streams. The sensitivity of mayflies and stoneflies to anthropogenic disturbances implicated them as good indicators to assess the effects of urban and agricultural activities. 4. A partial CCA was used to evaluate the relative importance of macrohabitat and microhabitat variables on community composition at three spatial scales (whole country, the large Han River basin and two small sub‐basins in the lowlands and highlands). The majority of community variation (17–22% for each environmental element) was explained by macrohabitat variables at the regional spatial scale. In contrast, large proportions (15–18%) were explained by microhabitat variables at the local spatial scale. 5. Our findings indicate that the relative importance of habitat scales should be determined by geographical size and that comprehensive understanding of multispatial scale patterns can be important for implementing sound biodiversity conservation programmes.     

Plant traits respond to the competitive neighbourhood at different spatial and temporal scales

Background and Aims Clonal plants can plastically modify their traits in response to competition, but little is known regarding the spatio-temporal scale at which a competitive neighbourhood determines the variability in species traits. This study tests the hypothesis that the local neighbourhood can be expected to influence the processes that are involved in competition tolerance and avoidance, and that this effect depends on organ lifespan.Methods Fragments of the rhizomatous Elytrigia repens (Poaceae) were sampled in 2012 in experimental plant communities that varied in species identity and abundance. These communities had been cultivated since 2009 in mesocosms in a common garden. Fragment performance, shoot and clonal traits were measured, and the effects of past and present local neighbourhoods of five different radius sizes (5–25 cm) were examined. Past and present local neighbourhood compositions were assessed in 2011 and 2012, respectively.Key Results Most of the measured traits of E. repens responded to the local neighbourhood (5–10 cm radius), with an additional effect of the larger neighbourhood (20–25 cm radius) on ramet height, leaf dry matter content, maximal internode length and specific rhizome mass. Contrary to the expectation of the hypothesis, the temporal influence was not due to the organ lifespan. Indeed, five of the eight traits studied responded to both the past and present neighbourhoods. With the exception of specific rhizome mass, all trait responses were explained by the abundance of specific species.Conclusions This study demonstrates that the traits of a single clonal individual can respond to different competitive environments in space and time. The results thus contribute to the understanding of competition mechanisms.     

森林水源涵养功能的多尺度内涵、过程及计量方法

近年来国内森林生态系统服务功能研究较多,但应用价值不高,其科学性受到诸多质疑。从森林水源涵养功能的多尺度内涵、过程以及其计量方法出发,对国内外研究动态和发展趋势进行了总结分析,重新审视森林水源涵养功能的研究意义,探讨森林水源涵养功能的多尺度特征。从森林水源涵养功能作用的空间尺度上看,其拦蓄洪水削减洪峰的功能仅在较小尺度上有效,而调节径流的功能只有当森林土壤的入渗量超过蒸散量时,才可能有更多地下水补给河道径流,进而增加旱季河道流量。同时森林水源涵养功能也具有明显的时间尺度特征,具体表现为在次降水事件中,由于蒸散发量较小,森林水源涵养功能的物质量等于森林不同层次的截留量,在功能上表现为拦蓄降水;在长时间尺度上,由于林地蒸散要耗去大量水分,森林水源涵养功能的物质量等于森林不同层次的截留量减去林地蒸散发量,在功能上表现为净化水质和调节径流。大多数研究仅对单一林分的个别层次蓄水功能进行研究,缺乏流域尺度或者更大空间尺度的森林水源涵养功能研究。建议从区域降尺度到流域或将坡面尺度上推到流域,集中在流域尺度解决森林水源涵养空间异质性将是解决森林水源涵养功能尺度外推的有效办法。就目前国内流行的森林水源涵养功能计量方法而言,其与尺度及研究目的有较大相关性,在研究中应根据研究目的、研究尺度和可获取的数据情况选择合适的计量方法。研究突出了不同尺度作用下森林水文过程的复杂性及重要性,并结合森林与水关系的争论问题,分析目前国内对森林水源涵养功能研究的一些误区,提出森林水源涵养功能研究的一些关键科学问题及未来可能的发展方向,主要包括:1)明确界定森林水源涵养功能的边界,探索森林水源涵养功能计量的新方法;2)加强不同时空尺度关联的森林水源涵养功能研究,包括正确评价森林水源涵养功能的时空变异规律,森林生态系统水源涵养功能的尺度效应,森林水源涵养与下游水生态安全,森林水源涵养研究范式转变等核心问题。     

Bird and mammal species composition in distinct geographic regions and their relationships with environmental factors across multiple spatial scales

Global patters of species distributions and their underlying mechanisms are a major question in ecology, and the need for multi‐scale analyses has been recognized. Previous studies recognized climate, topography, habitat heterogeneity and disturbance as important variables affecting such patterns. Here we report on analyses of species composition – environment relationships among different taxonomic groups in two continents, and the components of such relationships, in the contiguous USA and Australia. We used partial Canonical Correspondence Analysis of occurrence records of mammals and breeding birds from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, to quantify relationships between species composition and environmental variables in remote geographic regions at multiple spatial scales, with extents ranging from 10⁵ to 10⁷ km² and sampling grids from 10 to 10,000 km². We evaluated the concept that two elements contribute to the impact of environmental variables on composition: the strength of species' affinity to an environmental variable, and the amount of variance in the variable. To disentangle these two elements, we analyzed correlations between resulting trends and the amount of variance contained in different environmental variables to isolate the mechanisms behind the observed relationships. We found that climate and land use‐land cover are responsible for most explained variance in species composition, regardless of scale, taxonomic group and geographic region. However, the amount of variance in species composition attributed to land use / land cover (LULC) was closely related to the amount of intrinsic variability in LULC in the USA, but not in Australia, while the effect of climate on species composition was negatively correlated to the variability found in the climatic variables. The low variance in climate, compared to LULC, suggests that species in both taxonomic groups have strong affinity to climate, thus it has a strong effect on species distribution and community composition, while the opposite is true for LULC.     

多尺度生态系统健康综合评价——以宁波市为例

以宁波市为例,从市域、所辖县(市/区)、生态系统3个尺度,划分出城市、森林、河流、农田、湖库及海岸带六类生态系统,选定56个指标因子建立了宁波市生态系统健康评价体系,并采用生态系统健康指数法进行了多尺度综合评价。结果显示:(1)宁波市生态系统处于亚健康状态,(2)县(市/区)生态系统中慈溪、象山和镇海为亚健康偏向预警水平,主城区(海曙区、江东区和江北区)、北仑、余姚、鄞州、奉化和宁海为一般健康水平;(3)对宁波市生态系统健康影响的生态系统类型主要是海岸带、河流和农田,县(市/区)主要是慈溪、镇海和象山,影响因子主要是海岸带初级生产力、海水综合污染指数、河流水环境质量和农田系统生产力。根据评价结果,提出重点在农田、河流和海岸带相关方面制定管理措施和开发政策。同时本研究表明,多尺度综合评价方法有助于生态环境管理部门全面直观认识不同尺度上生态系统健康状态,并具体分析主要的影响因子,进行区域生态环境管理的科学决策。     

Genetic variability of New Zealand seagrass (Zostera muelleri) assessed at multiple spatial scales

We conducted RAPD analyses at multiple spatial scales to contribute to the conservation and future restoration of New Zealand's seagrass, Zostera muelleri Irmisch ex Asch. (Zosteraceae). Initially we focused on fine-scale genetic variation within two estuaries on the North Island, one on the East coast the other on the West coast. Within each estuary individuals were genetically similar, however, there was clear genetic separation between the two sites (genetic distance D = 0.2965). Genetic variation within a sampling location (m scale) was similar to that observed among sampling locations (km scale) within a site (21% and 28%, respectively) and smaller than that observed between sites (51%). We then expanded our sampling to include a further six populations distributed across almost the entire latitudinal (ca. 15°) gradient of the North and South Islands. At this scale genetic differences were closely correlated with coastal currents. There was a clear separation between North Island and South Island populations and further separation between the East and West coast populations of each Island. Sites located along the same section of coastline were more genetically similar than those from the opposite coast and other Island. Genetic similarity was highest within each of the sites, indicating a low degree of gene flow between populations. We recommend that any future restoration and conservation projects use only locally eco-sourced materials for population augmentations.     

植物氮形态利用策略及对外来植物入侵性的影响

氮是影响外来植物入侵性的重要因素之一, 但相关研究多关注土壤氮水平的效应, 较少考虑氮形态的作用。为从土壤氮形态利用的角度阐释外来植物的入侵机制, 本文在植物氮形态利用策略分析的基础上, 综述了外来植物氮形态利用的偏好性及其对入侵性的影响。植物的氮形态利用策略有偏好性和可塑性两种, 这可能与植物对土壤氮形态特性的长期适应有关; 植物不仅可以对土壤氮形态做出响应, 而且还能改造土壤氮形态, 并对改变后的土壤氮形态做出反馈响应。很多外来植物入侵硝态氮占优势的干扰生境, 偏好硝态氮的外来植物与本地植物竞争硝态氮; 而偏好铵态氮的外来植物通过抑制土壤硝化作用, 营造铵态氮环境, 促进自身生长, 同时抑制偏好硝态氮的本地植物生长。然而, 植物氮形态利用策略不是一成不变的, 而是受多种生物和非生物因素共同作用影响的复杂过程, 今后应加强多因素交互作用对外来入侵植物氮形态利用策略的影响及机制研究, 更好地揭示氮形态利用策略, 尤其是氮形态利用的可塑性与外来植物入侵性的关系。     

Combined effects of salinity and infectious disease on Daphnia dentifera at multiple scales

1. Temperate freshwater ecosystems are currently being salinised through anthropogenic activities. These increases in freshwater salinity can impact individuals, populations, and species interactions.
2. We studied the effects of salinity on freshwater host–parasite interactions at multiple scales using the zooplankton host, Daphnia dentifera, and a fungal parasite (Metschnikowia bicuspidata). We conducted one experiment at the individual‐level to quantify the effects of salinity on infection prevalence and another to understand the combined population‐level effects of salinity and parasitism.
3. In our first experiment, we found that the effects of salinity on infection prevalence varied by host genotype; increased salinity reduced infection prevalence in one genotype but had no effect on infection prevalence in another. In our second experiment, infection prevalence was lower when NaCl was added to the microcosms compared to the control (no added salt) treatments. We also found a significant parasite × salinity interaction on D. dentifera density in our second experiment, where the parasite only reduced host densities in our control treatment, probably due to the reduced infection prevalence as salinity increased.
4. This study demonstrates that salinity can influence infection prevalence in freshwater hosts and that host population density may respond to the combined effects of salinisation and parasitism in a non‐additive manner.

     

Plant diversity and identity effects on predatory nematodes and their prey

There is considerable evidence that both plant diversity and plant identity can influence the level of predation and predator abundance aboveground. However, how the level of predation in the soil and the abundance of predatory soil fauna are related to plant diversity and identity remains largely unknown. In a biodiversity field experiment, we examined the effects of plant diversity and identity on the infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs, Heterorhabditis and Steinernema spp.), which prey on soil arthropods, and abundance of carnivorous non‐EPNs, which are predators of other nematode groups. To obtain a comprehensive view of the potential prey/food availability, we also quantified the abundance of soil insects and nonpredatory nematodes and the root biomass in the experimental plots. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate possible pathways by which plant diversity and identity may affect EPN infectivity and the abundance of carnivorous non‐EPNs. Heterorhabditis spp. infectivity and the abundance of carnivorous non‐EPNs were not directly related to plant diversity or the proportion of legumes, grasses and forbs in the plant community. However, Steinernema spp. infectivity was higher in monocultures of Festuca rubra and Trifolium pratense than in monocultures of the other six plant species. SEM revealed that legumes positively affected Steinernema infectivity, whereas plant diversity indirectly affected the infectivity of Heterorhabditis EPNs via effects on the abundance of soil insects. The abundance of prey (soil insects and root‐feeding, bacterivorous, and fungivorous nematodes) increased with higher plant diversity. The abundance of prey nematodes was also positively affected by legumes. These plant community effects could not be explained by changes in root biomass. Our results show that plant diversity and identity effects on belowground biota (particularly soil nematode community) can differ between organisms that belong to the same feeding guild and that generalizations about plant diversity effects on soil organisms should be made with great caution.