DOI: 10.5061/dryad.vk24fr1
title: Data from: Applying generalised allometric regressions to predict live body mass of tropical and temperate arthropods

description: 1. The ecological implications of body size extend from the biology of
 individual organisms to ecosystem–level processes. Measuring body mass for
 high numbers of invertebrates can be logistically challenging, making
 length-mass regressions useful for predicting body mass with minimal
 effort. However, standardised sets of scaling relationships covering a
 large range in body length, taxonomic groups, and multiple geographical
 regions are scarce. 2. We collected 6212 arthropods from 19 higher-level
 taxa in both temperate and tropical locations to compile a comprehensive
 set of linear models relating live body mass to a range of predictor
 variables. We measured live weight (hereafter, body mass), body length and
 width of each individual and conducted linear regressions to predict body
 mass using body length, body width, taxonomic group and geographic region.
 Additionally, we quantified prediction discrepancy when using parameters
 from arthropods of a different geographic region. 3. Incorporating body
 width into taxon- and region-specific length-mass regressions yielded the
 highest prediction accuracy for body mass. Using regression parameters
 from a different geographic region increased prediction discrepancy,
 causing over- or underestimation of body mass depending on geographical
 origin and whether body width was included. 4. We present a comprehensive
 range of parameters for predicting arthropod body mass and provide
 guidance for selecting optimal scaling relationships. Given the importance
 of body mass for functional invertebrate ecology and the paucity of
 adequate regressions to predict arthropod body mass from different
 geographical regions, our study provides a long-needed resource for
 quantifying live body mass in invertebrate ecology research.
description: Length-mass regression
 data for arthropods from different geographic regionsThis data includes data
 used in Sohlström et al. to estimate how live body mass of arthropods
 depends on body length and further co-variables. Description of headers:
 Order refers to taxonomic order. Suborder refers to taxonomic suborder.
 Family refers to taxonomic family. Live body mass [mg] refers to the body
 mass of the living organism, measured using a precision scale. Body length
 [mm] refers to the maximum body length, measured without appendages. Body
 width [mm] refers to the maximum body width, measured without appendages.
 Geographic region refers to the location where the arthropods have been
 sampled. “tropical” refers to organisms collected near Jambi, Indonesia
 and “temperate” refers to organisms collected near Göttingen, Germany.
 Groups for Table S1 refers to groups that have been further subset due to
 taxonomy, morphological or behavioural characteristics. The regressions of
 these groups are presented in the supporting information (Table S1).
 Analysis refers to where the results of the order are presented in the
 publication (e.g. Main analysis, Supporting information). Results of 12
 orders are presented in the main text only, results of 7 orders are
 presented in the main text at the order level and in the supporting
 information based on the Groups for Table S1 and results of 4 orders are
 presented in the supporting information only.Sohlstroem_et_al_Data_Dryad.csv