Energy flows through nematode food webs depending on the soil carbon and nitrogen contents after forest conversion

The swift proliferation of forests converted into monoculture plantations has profound impacts on soil nutrients, microbial communities, and many ecological processes and functions. Nematodes are soil microfauna that play a pivotal role in biogeochemical cycling and in soil food web, whereas the response of soil nematode communities and energy flows to forest conversion remains unknown. Here, we assessed the community composition and the energy flows of the nematode food webs as a function of soil chemistry after conversion from natural forests (Forest) to four plantations (8-year-old): Amygdalus persica (Peach), Myrica rubra (Berry), Camellia oleifera (Oil), and Cunninghamia lanceolata (Fir). After forest conversion, soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents decreased by 65 % and 55 %, respectively. Forest conversion strongly reduced the abundance (particularly large-bodied omnivorous-predatory nematodes), diversity, maturity, and stability of the soil nematode community. The shifts in composition and structure of nematode communities after forest conversion are reflected in changes in the abundance of predominant genera and trophic taxa, especially bacterivorous, fungivorous, and omnivorous-predatory nematodes. Acrobeloides notably increased, whereas Plectus, Prismatolaimus, Tylencholaimus, and Tripyla decreased. Accordingly, the abundances of r-strategy nematodes (cp value = 1–2) increased, but that of the K-strategists (cp value = 3–5) declined. Additionally, the energy flow across the soil nematode food web was reduced by 36 % and flow uniformity declined by 24 % after forest conversion. These changes in nematode diversity and abundance were triggered by diminishing soil C and N contents, thereby affecting the energy flows via the nematode food webs. Thus, forest conversion affects soil biotas and multi-functions from the perspective of nematode food web structure and energy flows, and underlines the interconnections between ecosystem and energy dynamics across multi-trophic levels, which is crucial for sustainable forest management.