Response of soil nematode communities to long-term application of inorganic fertilizers in the black soil of Northeast China

The effects of inorganic fertilizers on soil nematode communities were studied in a long-term fertilization experimental field in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China, where no fertilizer (CK), N fertilizer (N), combined application of N and P (NP), combined application of N and K (NK), and combined application of N, P and K (NPK) were compared. The results showed that the total nematode abundance was not affected significantly by inorganic fertilizers in the long-term field experiment. The numbers of bacterivores increased significantly in the NP treatment compared to the CK treatment, and those of fungivores and plant-parasites were inhibited in the NPK treatment. The similarity between CK and NPK treatment and the nematode diversity were higher than in other treatments. The stability of the soil ecosystem was disturbed by the inorganic fertilizers, as indicated by the change in MI values under different treatments. The response of soil nematodes mainly depended on the types of inorganic fertilizers applied.