Temporal dynamics of soil nematode population in an Acacia saligna invaded Mediterranean sand dune ecosystem

Abstract

The invasive Australian tree, Acacia saligna, has been the subject of numerous studies investigating its ecological impact. However, the effect of its invasion on the soil free-living nematode population has yet to be researched. In this study, we examined the impact of A. saligna on the soil free-living nematode population in a coastal dune site with a Mediterranean climate during three sampling periods. Soil samples were collected from beneath the canopies of A. saligna trees, the native dominant shrub Retama raetam, and bare soil plots as a control. Our findings reveal that A. saligna increases the density of the soil free-living nematode population and changes its trophic and taxonomic composition. While the nematode diversity and functional index scores did not significantly differ between sampling locations, they did differ between the different sampling times, highlighting the seasonal dynamics of the soil nematode population in Mediterranean sand dunes.