Leaf phenology rather than mycorrhizal type regulates soil nematode abundance, but collectively affects nematode diversity in seven common subtropical tree species

The underlying mechanisms of the relationships between tree species and the soil micro-food web in forest ecosystems remain uncertain, primarily ascribed to an insufficient understanding on how tree functional traits drive soil nematode communities, including in subtropical forests. We investigated the impacts of seven subtropical tree species (evergreen: Pinus massoniana, Mytilaria laosensis, Ilex chinensis, Michelia macclurei; and deciduous: Liquidambar formosana, Quercus acutissima, and Betula luminifera) on the soil nematode communities. We found that the abundance of soil nematodes was not affected by mycorrhizal types, but it was around 83% higher under the deciduous trees than the evergreen trees, indicating the importance of leaf phenology to the abundance of soil nematodes. Nonetheless, both the evergreen and the arbuscular mycorrhizal trees increased soil nematode diversity, resulting from changes in root traits and soil properties. Furthermore, root traits (root C, root N, and root C:N ratio), and soil properties (total C, total N, moisture content, and bulk density) were the best predictors of the community composition of soil nematodes, indicating a key role of resource quality and soil microhabitat in regulating soil nematodes. In contrast, the ectomycorrhizal trees had lower plant parasite and Wasilewska indices, and evenness, whereas the evergreen trees slightly improved the evenness of soil nematodes. This study suggests that tree species affect the soil food web through changes in soil conditions and plant functional traits in subtropical forests. •Seven common trees were managed to assess the impacts of tree species on soil nematodes.•Leaf phenology rather than mycorrhiza types regulated soil nematode abundances.•Both evergreen and arbuscular mycorrhizal trees increased soil nematode diversity.•EM trees had a negative effect on the indices of soil food web and evenness.