Soil nematode communities in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) rhizosphere soil under monoculture and jujube/wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn.) intercropping systems, a case study in Xinjiang arid region, northwest of China

• The numbers of total nematodes and bacterivores were higher in the intercropping system.
• Rhabditis and Acrobeloides were the dominant nematode genera.
• Plant wheat in jujube orchard had no effects on soil food web diversity and structure.
• Bacterial decomposition channel was dominant in the intercropping system.

Soil nematode community in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) rhizosphere soil under monoculture and jujube/wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn.) intercropping systems were investigated for three years in Hetian arid area, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest of China. The results showed that the density of soil nematodes in jujube orchards became larger when wheat was planted between the lines of jujube trees, mainly due to the higher numbers of Rhabditis and Acrobeloides. The bacterivores of cp-1 and cp-2 (c–p, colonizer–persister) guilds, and fungivores of cp-2 guilds were much more in jujube/wheat intercropping system than those in jujube monoculture system, while other nematode groups had no significant difference between the two ecosystems. Although Shannon–Weaver index (H′), genus dominant index (Ig) and species richness (SR), showed no differences between the two systems, still lower maturity index (MI) and modified maturity index (∑MI) with higher PPI/MI presented enriched but unstable soil food web in jujube/wheat intercropping system. Higher nematode channel ratio (NCR) and Wasilewska index (WI) in the intercropping system indicated that bacterial decomposition channel was dominant channel with higher level of soil total nitrogen content in both layers but lower organic matters in surface layer. We concluded that jujube/wheat intercropping system is good for young tree growing, but jujube monoculture system is preferred if cultivated land is sufficient.