Nematodes

The ultimate goalof all species is survival. Throughout time and evolution, each species has changed to meet their individual environmental conditions. Natural selection weans out the weak and allows the strong to flourish. Through invasion and adaptation, nematodes can affect every known organism (Baer, 1967). Nematodes have adapted through structure, feeding, behaviour and reproduction to survive in many different conditions.
Nematodes need to feed throughout their lives in order to have the energy required for life functions such as metabolism, growth and reproduction (Croll & Matthews, 1977). The food must fulfill both chemical and physical requirements of the nematode. Chemical requirements include pH and physical requirements refer to texture and temperature (Croll & Matthews, 1977). Free-living nematodes eat. During the life cycles of some parasitic forms non-feeding stages do occur (Croll & Matthews, 1977). Parasitic nematodes in the larval stage feed and grow wherea...