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We analysed 67 raw data sets of nematode genera from three types of ecosystems (grassland, cropland, and forest) to compare relative magnitude of energy pathways through the soil food web. Bacterial-, fungal- and herbivorous-based energy pathways were compared by percentages (in either abundances or biomass) of three soil nematode trophic groups ( i.e. , bacterivore, fungivore and herbivore). The patterns of soil energy pathways were similar whether expressed as relative abundance or relative biomass. However, the percentage values of bacterivorous biomass in each type of ecosystem exceeded the percentage values of their abundance. Specifically, relative abundance of bacterivorous nematodes was similar among ecosystems but mean values of biomass were greatest in grassland and similarly less in cropland and forest ecosystems. By contrast, both relative abundance and …