Distribution Patterns of Terrestrial Nematodes and Plant Communities in an Irish Garden

Gardens provide several ecosystem services, including functioning as a habitat for diverse taxa and promoting users’ well-being. Soil biodiversity is considered an important factor in the capacity of the soil to provide ecosystem services. Nematodes are widely used as environmental indicators based on their key roles in the soil food web. Nematode and plant communities were studied across five different areas in a garden in Ireland as part of an assessment of soil health, as well as to explore their distribution patterns inside the garden. The aims of the study were to contribute to the exploration of soil biodiversity and soil health in built environments, and to study nematode communities in different plant assemblages. Using nematode morphology, a total of 33 terrestrial nematode families were identified across the garden, indicating similar levels of soil ecosystem enrichment and food web structure among different plant assemblages. A total of 25 plant families were identified in the five areas, revealing distinct plant communities inside the gardens. The study was limited to a single sampling event and the taxonomic identification of nematode and plants at the family level. However, the results highlight the use of nematodes as environmental indicators for soil health assessments in gardens, and provided baseline information that could potentially inform on soil biodiversity and plant management strategies.