Changes in structure and functioning of soil nematodes communities due to land use changes in tropical lowland rainforests
My PhD project is a part of the Project B08 of EFForTS (Ecological and Socioeconomic Functions of Tropical Lowland Rainforest Transformation Systems). My work focuses on the diversity, community structure and functioning of soil nematodes in tropical rainforests, rubber and oil palm plantations systems.
Objectives/aims:- to give a comprehensive overview of nematode diversity in tropical rainforests and plantations systems (based on high-throughput sequencing)
- to find out the optimal storage method for soil nematodes that minimize degradation of prey biomolecules and allow precise identification of trophic links
- to uncover the trophic links of soil nematode communities in different land-use systems in Sumatra, Indonesia