Many species of nematodes are 'free-living', living in soil, sea and freshwater. These feed on bacteria, fungi, protozoans and even other nematodes, and play a very important role in nutrient cycling and release of nutrients for plant growth. Other nematodes attack insects, and help to control insect pests.
Are there beneficial nematodes?
Beneficial nematodes are natural and effective for getting rid of target pests, but they have disadvantages, too, including: They only work for pests in your soil. They will not harm pests that live and feed on plant leaves (unless those pests have a soil-dwelling stage in their life cycle).
Are nematodes a beneficial or harmful?
Most nematode species have a beneficial role in the soil, but a few are pest species that feed on plant roots, and damage roots directly or make them more susceptible to fungal diseases. Beneficial nematodes are important in controlling the pest species and improving the soil health.
What can nematodes do to humans?
Intestinal nematodes can cause some GI problems (eg, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia, weight loss, malaise). Hookworms can cause serious anemia. Onchocerciasis can result in blindness (river blindness). Trichinosis can cause life-threatening manifestations, including myocarditis, CNS involvement, and pneumonitis.
What are 2 ecological importance of nematodes?
Nematodes have great ecological functions in an ecosystem in various ways, such as their diversity due to adaptation, diverse feed- ing habits, recycling of nutrients, biological control of insect pests, economic impact on both plants and animals as pathogens, and others interactions in the environment.
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