Microscopic Messengers: What Soil Nematodes Reveal About a Warming Planet

Soil Nematodes, minute worms that are not visible with naked eyes, are being recognized as a powerful signal of environmental change in a warming world. Soil nematodes are most abundant animals present in the soil and provide a fundamental role in nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and ecosystem health. Recent studies have documented how rising global temperatures have altered nematode communities, with significant shifts in abundance, diversity, and behavioural changes providing strong indications of the cascading response to the climate change. Across the globe, warming has altered soil moisture, carbon stores, and plant biomass, disrupting nematode populations from arctic tundra to alpine meadows. Some nematode species thrive in conditions with higher temperatures, while many other declines, indicating major disruptions to soil food webs and populations that are critical for agricultural systems and biodiversity.