Predation
During the process of predation, an organism (predator) captures, kills and ingests another organisms (prey), thereby transferring energy and resources between living organisms.
Predation in soil is carried out in particular by protozoa, nematodes, springtails, mites, insects, ants, and spiders. Bacteria and fungi can also predate, as is the case of fungal-trapping nematodes.
Predation contributes to the Disease and Pest Management function because, through predation, soil organisms are directly able to decrease inoculum density of plant pathogens and pests. In the Carbon and Climate Regulation and Nutrient Cycling models predation is a subprocess of the food web assimilation process involved in the reallocation and assimilation of carbon and nutrients. In addition, generally when organisms feed on other organisms they will enhance the cycling of nutrients and thereby plant nutrient acquisition. This will have a beneficial effect on plant health promotion enhancing plant metabolism, and ultimately an effect on disease and pest management.
Predation can be measured with molecular methods, through the detection of prey remains in the gut content of the predator, by metabarcoding[1],[2].
[1] Furlong et al. 2015. Knowing your enemies: Integrating molecular and ecological methods to assess the impact of arthropod predators on crop pests. Insect Science 22: 6–19.
[2] Hatteland et al. 2011. Molecular analysis of predation by carabid beetles (Carabidae) on the invasive Iberian slug Arion lusitanicus. Bulletin of Entomological Research 101: 675-686