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Dryad

A worldwide assessment of soil macroinvertebrate communities

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Feb 02, 2022 version files 445.06 KB
Mar 03, 2022 version files 446.74 KB

Abstract

Soil macroinvertebrate communities have been assessed worldwide using the standard ISO/TSBF sampling procedure. The Macrofauna database currently comprises 3694 sites distributed throughout 41 countries, from 55º S latitude to 57ºN, sea level to over 4000m in elevation, in total annual total rainfall regimes between 500 and >3000mm and 5 to 32ºC mean temperature. These communities are significantly influenced by climatic parameters, soil texture and vegetation cover. Abundance and diversity were highest in tropical rain forests (1895 ± 305 individuals m-2) and natural savannahs (1796 ± 269), and progressively lower in  tropical cropping systems (tree associated crops 1358 ± 101, pastures or transitory crops: 1178 ± 147), temperate grasslands: 583 ± 70, temperate forests: 529 ± 71, annual crops: 232 ± 14 and dry forest: 221 ± 52 systems.