Influence of ecologically relevant urea fertilizer concentrations on nematodes: A microcosm experiment
Abstract
Aim of study: Urea remains one of the most widely used chemical fertilisers in the world and is used extensively in the Philippines as a major source of nitrogen for crops. However, we have a very limited understanding of its impact on soil fauna such as nematodes. In this study, we demonstrated the suitability of the microcosm set-up to assess chemical effects on nematode communities under controlled conditions and determined the effects of urea on nematode communities.
Area of study: The soil samples were obtained from a relatively “less disturbed” field in Bukidnon, Central Mindanao and were taken for experimentation in a greenhouse at Premier Research Institute of Science and Mathematics (PRISM), Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), Iligan City, Philippines.
Material and Methods: The soil was collected and analysed for its physiological properties. The soil was then exposed to urea concentrations (0 mg/kg, 19.67 mg/kg, 39.33 mg/kg and 78.66 mg/kg) in a microcosm for 45 days. Nematodes were then collected and processed using a modified dish method.
Main results: Firstly, the natural microcosms (without urea) showed that nematode abundance and the number of genera decreased by 28% and 35%, respectively. The results suggest that the current microcosm setup may still be useful in testing the effects of certain chemicals of interest. Secondly, no significant effects on the number of genera and diversity indices were observed with urea, except on the day 15 when nematode abundance was significantly higher at 39.33 mg/kg than at 19.67 mg/kg.
Research highlights: This study shows that the above ecologically relevant urea concentrations had no negative impact on nematode community structure during the 45-day exposure.
Downloads
References
Ahmad I, Zhu G, Zhou G, Song X, Hussein Ibrahim ME, Ibrahim Salih EG, 2022. Effect of N on growth, antioxidant capacity, and chlorophyll content of sorghum. Agronomy, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020501
Allouche M, Nasri A, Harrath AH, Mansour L, Beyre H, Boufahj F, 2020. Migratory behavior of free-living marine nematodes surrounded by sediments experimentally contaminated by mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. J King Saud Univ Sci 32(2), pp.1339-1345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2019.11.025
Andrássy I, 2005. Free-living Nematodes of Hungary, I (Nematoda errantia).: Vol. I. Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest.
Andrássy I, 2007. Free-living Nematodes of Hungary, II (Nematoda errantia).: Vol. II. Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest.
Andrássy I, 2009. Free-living Nematodes of Hungary, III (Nematoda errantia): Vol. III. Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest.
Cong Y, Yang H, Zhang P, Xie Y, Cao X, Zhang L, 2020. Transcriptome analysis of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in acidic stress environments. Front Psychol, 11, p.1107. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.01107
Dan S, Hosseinkhani O, Saadat M, Bagheri H, 2024. Ammonia application in terrestrial vegetation. Progresses in Ammonia: Science, Technology and Membranes (pp. 199-221). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-88501-0.00012-4
Ettema CH, Bongers T, 1993. Characterization of nematode colonization and succession in disturbed soil using the Maturity Index. Biol Fert Soils, 16, pp.79-85. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00369407
Ewald M, Glavatska O, Ruess L, 2020. Effects of resource manipulation on nematode community structure and metabolic footprints in an arable soil across time and depth. Nematology, 22(9), pp.1025-1043. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685411-bja10009
Ewald M, Rusch D, Rißmann C, Trost B, Theuerl S, Ruess L, 2022. Effects of irrigation and fertilization practice on soil nematode communities in arable land. Appl Soil Ecol, 177, p.104546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2022.104546
Ferris H, Bongers T, 2009. Indices developed specifically for analysis of nematode assemblages. Nematodes as environmental indicators, pp.124-145. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845933852.0124
Forge T, Ehret D, Messiga A, Dorais M, 2020. Influences of nitrogen inputs on nematode populations under highbush blueberry. J Nematol, 52(1), pp.1-14. https://doi.org/10.21307/jofnem-2020-056
Greiffer L, Liebau E, Herrmann FC, Spiegler V, 2022. Condensed tannins act as anthelmintics by increasing the rigidity of the nematode cuticle. Sci Rep -UK, 12(1), p.18850. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23566-2
Hu J, Chen G, Hassan WM, Lan J, Si W, Wang W, Li G, Du G, 2022. The impact of fertilization intensity on soil nematode communities in a Tibetan Plateau grassland ecosystem. Appl Soil Ecol, 170, p.104258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.104258
Kacprzak, M., Malińska, K., Grosser, A., Sobik-Szołtysek, J., Wystalska, K., Dróżdż, D., Jasińska, A. and Meers, E., 2023. Cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in poultry manure management technologies-environmental aspects. Crit Rev Env Sci Tec, 53(8), pp.914-938. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2022.2096983
Karuri H, 2023. Nematode community response to intensive tomato production in the tropics. Rhizosphere, 25, p.100681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2023.100681
Kharbach M, Chfadi T, 2021. General trends in fertilizer use in the world. Arab J Geosci, 14(23), p.2577. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-08889-0
Krashevska V, Kudrin AA, Widyastuti R, Scheu S, 2019. Changes in nematode communities and functional diversity with the conversion of rainforest into rubber and oil palm plantations. Front Ecol Evol 7, p.487. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00487
Labajo JRN, Pabiona MG, 2022. Physical and chemical properties of soil on selected sugarcane farms in Mt. Nebo, Valencia City, Bukidnon, Philippines. Asian J Agric, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.13057/asianjagric/g060204
Lazarova S, Coyne D, Rodriguez MG, Peteira B, Ciancio A, 2021. Functional diversity of soil nematodes in relation to the impact of agriculture-a review. Diversity, 13(2), p.64. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13020064
Lee EK, Zhang X, Adler PR, Kleppel GS, Romeiko XX, 2020. Spatially and temporally explicit life cycle global warming, eutrophication, and acidification impacts from corn production in the US Midwest. J Clean Prod, 242, p.118465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118465
Li C, Wang X, Chen B, Wang L, Xie Z, Wang J, Yang Z, 2023. Fertilization restructures nematode assemblages by modifying soil pH in croplands of Northeast China. Front Environ Sci, 11, 1207379. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1207379
Li J, Peng P, Zhao J, 2020. Assessment of soil nematode diversity based on different taxonomic levels and functional groups. Soil Ec Lett, 2(1), pp.33-39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42832-019-0019-5
Liang S, Kou X, Li Y, Lü X, Wang J, Li Q, 2020. Soil nematode community composition and stability under different nitrogen additions in a semiarid grassland. Global Ecol Conserv, 22, p.e00965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e00965
Liu J, Chen Y, Du C, Liu X, Ma Q, Zhang X, Wang D, 2019. Interactive effects of nitrogen addition and litter on soil nematodes in grassland. EUR J SOIL SCI, 70(3), pp.697-706. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12779
Liu T, Wang Z, Guan H, Zhong B, He X, Wang Y, Qi Y, Yan W, Lu X, 2023. Soil Macrofauna Disperse and Reconstruct Soil Nematode Communities: Takeaways from a Microcosm Study. Forests, 14(4), p.748. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040748
Lu Q, Liu T, Wang N, Dou Z, Wang K, Zuo Y, 2020. A review of soil nematodes as biological indicators for the assessment of soil health. Front. Agric Sci Eng 7, pp.275-281. https://doi.org/10.15302/J-FASE-2020327
Martikainen E, Haimi J, Ahtiainen J, 1998. Effects of dimethoate and benomyl on soil organisms and soil processes-a microcosm study. Appl Soi Ecol, 9(1-3), 381-387. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(98)00093-6
Martinez JG, Torres MA, dos Santos G, Moens T, 2018. Influence of heavy metals on nematode community structure in deteriorated soil by gold mining activities in Sibutad, southern Philippines. Ecol Indic, 91, pp.712-721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.04.021
Martinez JG, Quiobe SP, Moens T, 2019. Effects of mercury (Hg) on soil nematodes: A microcosm approach. Arch Environ Con Tox, 77, pp.421-431. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-019-00652-7
Mayrhofer N, Velicer GJ, Schaal KA, Vasse M, 2021. Behavioral interactions between bacterivorous nematodes and predatory bacteria in a synthetic community. Microorganisms, 9(7), p.1362. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9071362
McQueen JP, Gendron EM, Solon AJ, de Mesquita CPB, Hufft RA, Shackelford N, Suding KN, Schmidt SK, Porazinska DL, 2024. Glyphosate-based restoration of a degraded grassland threatens soil health and the diversity of nematode communities. Soil Biol Biochem, p.109350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109350
Moura GS, Franzener G, 2017. Biodiversity of nematodes biological indicators of soil quality in the agroecosystems. Arquivos do Instituto Biológico, 84, p.e0142015. https://doi.org/10.1590/1808-1657000142015
Ni X, Zhu X, Feng Q, Zhao D, Huang W, Pan F, 2024. Effect of Application Rates of N and P Fertilizers on Soil Nematode Community Structure in Mollisols. Agronomy, 14(3), p.507. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030507
Nisa RU, Tantray AY, Kouser N, Allie KA, Wani SM, Alamri SA, Alyemeni MN, Wijaya L, Shah AA, 2021. Influence of ecological and edaphic factors on biodiversity of soil nematodes. Saudi J Biol Sci, 28(5), pp.3049-3059.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.046
Pothula SK, Phillips G, Bernard EC, 2022. Increasing levels of physical disturbance affect soil nematode community composition in a previously undisturbed ecosystem. J Nematol, 54(1). https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2022-0022
Siddiqi MR, 1997. Techniques and methodologies for nematode disease diagnosis and nematode identification. FAO Plant P, 144, pp.21-44.
Sieriebriennikov B, Ferris H, de Goede RG, 2014. NINJA: An automated calculation system for nematode-based biological monitoring. Eur J Soil Biol, 61, pp.90-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2014.02.004
Shokoohi E, 2024. Interactions of Free-Living Nematodes and Associated Microorganisms with Plant-Parasitic Nematodes. Sustainable Management of Nematodes in Agriculture, Vol. 2: Role of Microbes-Assisted Strategies (pp. 127-147). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52557-5_5
Staley C, Breuillin-Sessoms F, Wang P, Kaiser T, Venterea RT, Sadowsky MJ, 2018. Urea amendment decreases microbial diversity and selects for specific nitrifying strains in eight contrasting agricultural soils. Front Microbiol, 9, p.327392. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.00634
Sun Z, Sun C, Feng X, Zhang T, Liu J, Wang X, Li S, Tang S, Jin K, 2024. Grazing alters the soil nematode communities in grasslands: A meta-analysis. J Environ Manage, 356, p.120668. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120668
Teshita A, Feng Y, Qian R, Wang X, Khan W, Gao Y, 2023. Alfalfa and maize intercropping enhances soil nematode structure and food web complexity in low-nitrogen soils. Appl Soil Ecol, 186, p.104809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.104809
Traunspurger W, Majdi N, 2017. Meiofauna. In Methods in Stream Ecology, Volume 1 (pp. 273-295). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416558-8.00014-7
Wang J, Wang H, Lin Q, Wu Y, He X, Chen X, Yan W, Zhao J, 2023a. Legume biological nitrogen fixation improves but chemical nitrogen fertilizer suppresses soil nematode communities in a Camellia oleifera plantation. Land Degrad Dev, 34(5), pp.1403-1414. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.4542
Wang J, Zhao X, Wei K, Tang J, Yuan C, Jin B, Sun X, Zhu B, 2023b. Correlations Between the Soil Bacterial-Feeding Nematodes, Bacteria, and Nitrogen in the Cropland of the Upper Yangtze River, China. J Soil Sci Plant Nut, 23(4), pp.5840-5849. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-023-01443-9
Wang Y, Huang B, Yan G, Liu G, Xing Y, Wang Q, 2022. Effects of long-term nitrogen addition and seasonal variation on soil faunal community structure in a temperate natural secondary forest. Eur J For Res, 141(4), pp.547-560. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-022-01457-5
Wilschut RA, Geisen S, 2021. Nematodes as drivers of plant performance in natural systems. Trends Plant Sci, 26(3), pp.237-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2020.10.006
Zhang B, Zhang L, Zhang X, 2019. Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil by petroleum-degrading bacteria immobilized on biochar. Rsc Adv, 9(60), pp.35304-35311. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9RA06726D
Zhang H, Tian M, Jiang M, Yang J, Xu Q, Zhang Y, Ji M, Yao Y, Zhao C, Miao Y, 2024. Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on soil nematode community of soybean farmland. Soil Ecol Lett. 6(2), p.230200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42832-023-0200-8
Copyright (c) 2025 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the print and online versions of this journal are the property of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.
All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. You may read the basic information and the legal text of the licence. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 licence must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the final version of the work produced by the publisher, is not allowed.
