Influence of ecological and edaphic factors on biodiversity of soil nematodes.

Nematodes are the most diverse and highly significant group of soil-inhabiting microorganisms that play a vital role in organic material decomposition and nutrient recycling. Diverse geographical locations and environmental gradients show a significant impact on the diversity of nematodes. Present study aims to assess the effects of ecological (altitude, temperature, moisture) and edaphic (soil pH, nutrients, soil patches) factors on the soil nematode diversity and structure at five different landscape patches (forests, apple orchards, rice fields, pastures, and alpine zone) from ten different sites of Kashmir valley (India).