Synthesis of soil animal community mass-abundance measurements reported in thirteen ecosystems ranging from arctic tundra to tropical rainforest. Soil animal groups include Nematoda, Collembola, Enchytraeidae, Acari, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Isopoda, Chilopoda, Araneae, Blattodea, Diplopoda, Gastropoda, Clitellata or Other groups. The dataset provides abundance and mass measurements per study and soil animal group, summarised from the raw soil community dataset (N_raw = 1503). Data were summarised for soil animal groups and study years. The summarised dataset provides 117 data points, relating the body mass, abundance and biomass of each sampled soil animal group per study. Environmental variable measurements are provided alongside soil animal measurements, to allow a comparative analysis of global environmental controls on soil animal communities.

The dataset is analysed in Johnston, A.S.A., Sibly, R.M., 2020. Multiple environmental controls explain global patterns in soil animal communities. Oecologia. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04640-w