Globally invariant metabolism but density-diversity mismatch in springtails
Authors: Potapov Anton M. , Guerra Carlos A. , van den Hoogen Johan , Babenko Anatoly , Bellini Bruno C. , Berg Matty P. , Chown Steven L. , Deharveng Louis , Kováč Ľubomír , Kuznetsova Natalia A. , Ponge Jean-François , Potapov Mikhail B. , Russell David J. , Alexandre Douglas , Alatalo Juha M. , Arbea Javier I. , Bandyopadhyaya Ipsa , Bernava Verónica , Bokhorst Stef , Bolger Thomas , Castaño-Meneses Gabriela , Chauvat Matthieu , Chen Ting-Wen , Chomel Mathilde , Classen Aimee T. , Cortet Jerome , Čuchta Peter , Manuela de la Pedrosa Ana , Ferreira Susana S. D. , Fiera Cristina , Filser Juliane , Franken Oscar , Fujii Saori , Koudji Essivi Gagnon , Gao Meixiang , Gendreau-Berthiaume Benoit , Gomez-Pamies Diego F. , Greve Michelle , Tanya Handa I. , Heiniger Charlène , Holmstrup Martin , Homet Pablo , Ivask Mari , Janion-Scheepers Charlene , Jochum Malte , Joimel Sophie , Claudia S. Jorge Bruna , Jucevica Edite , Ferlian Olga , Iuñes de Oliveira Filho Luís Carlos , Klauberg-Filho Osmar , Baretta Dilmar , Krab Eveline J. , Kuu Annely , de Lima Estevam C. A. , Lin Dunmei , Lindo Zoe , Liu Amy , Lu Jing-Zhong , Luciañez María José , Marx Michael T. , McCary Matthew A. , Minor Maria A. , Nakamori Taizo , Negri Ilaria , Ochoa-Hueso Raúl , Palacios-Vargas José G. , Pollierer Melanie M. , Querner Pascal , Raschmanová Natália , Rashid Muhammad Imtiaz , Raymond-Léonard Laura J. , Rousseau Laurent , Saifutdinov Ruslan A. , Salmon Sandrine , Sayer Emma J. , Scheunemann Nicole , Scholz Cornelia , Seeber Julia , Shveenkova Yulia B. , Stebaeva Sophya K. , Sterzynska Maria , Sun Xin , Susanti Winda I. , Taskaeva Anastasia A. , Thakur Madhav P. , Tsiafouli Maria A. , Turnbull Matthew S. , Twala Mthokozisi N. , Uvarov Alexei V. , Venier Lisa A. , Widenfalk Lina A. , Winck Bruna R. , Winkler Daniel , Wu Donghui , Xie Zhijing , Yin Rui , Zeppelini Douglas , Crowther Thomas W. , Eisenhauer Nico , Scheu Stefan 
Published: February 2023

Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown. Here, using a global dataset representing 2470 sites, we estimate the total soil springtail biomass at 27.5 megatons carbon, which is threefold higher than wild terrestrial vertebrates, and record peak densities up to 2 million individuals per square meter in the tundra. Despite a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, springtail energy use (community metabolism) remains similar across the latitudinal gradient, owing to the changes in temperature with latitude. Neither springtail density nor community metabolism is predicted by local species richness, which is high in the tropics, but comparably high in some temperate forests and even tundra. Changes in springtail activity may emerge from latitudinal gradients in temperature, predation and resource limitation in soil communities. Contrasting relationships of biomass, diversity and activity of springtail communities with temperature suggest that climate warming will alter fundamental soil biodiversity metrics in different directions, potentially restructuring terrestrial food webs and affecting soil functioning.