In the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico, mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) occurs in a variety of landscape positions where water may accumulate to varying depths. The structure of Chihuahuan Desert landscapes has changed dramatically in the past 100 yr with mesquite expanding from its original distribution (playa, arroyo) into grassland and dune ecosystems. Our objective was to examine spatial and seasonal distribution of plant-feeding nematodes and the potential importance of herbivory in four mesquite communities (playa, arroyo, dunes, grassland) hypothesized to differ in rooting depth and distribution. These sites were compared to a more shallow-rooted creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) community. Intact soil cores were recovered to depths of 13 m beneath the canopies of mesquite or creosote bush using a continuous sampling tube drilling system in the winter, spring, and fall in Jornada LTER site, Las Cruces, New Mexico.