The effect of free-living nematodes on nitrogen mineralisation in undisturbed and disturbed soil cores

► Disturbed and undisturbed cores were defaunated by gamma irradiation (5 kGy). ► Defaunated soil was reinoculated with nematode communities extracted from bulk soil. ► Nematode reinoculation caused lower NH4+ and higher NO3− concentrations. ► Grazing by nematodes did not result in not greater total nitrogen mineralisation. ► Nematode and nitrogen dynamics differed between disturbed and undisturbed cores.