DOI: 10.5061/dryad.68b00
title: Data from: EDAPHOLOG monitoring system: automatic, real-time detection of soil microarthropods

description: Soil microarthropods as organic matter decomposers play an important role
 in soil functioning thus providing ecosystem services. However, ecosystem
 scale investigations on their abundance and dynamics are scarce because
 their high spatio-temporal heterogeneity requires huge sample size.
 Processing and identifying large number of individuals are extremely
 labour-intensive. We prototyped a device called EDAPHOLOG monitoring
 system that consists of (1) a probe that catches and detects
 microarthropods and estimates their body size; (2) a data logger
 transmitting data to a central data base; and (3) a Java application for
 retrieving data. We tested the device in three ways. First, we tested the
 precision and accuracy of detection and body size estimation of the device
 in the laboratory using microarthropods of five morphotypes: euedaphic
 Collembola, haired Collembola, scaled Collembola, Acari and Oribatida.
 Secondly, we compared the number of individuals collected by EDAPHOLOG
 traps, pitfall traps and soil extraction method in an alfalfa field.
 Thirdly, we deployed a total of 100 EDAPHOLOG probes in nine different
 habitats for over 3 months to demonstrate the applicability of the
 monitoring system. In the laboratory, EDAPHOLOG detected 95·6% of
 individuals; even the smallest morphotype (Oribatida, body size (mean ±
 SE): 0·58 ± 0·04 mm) was detected in 87·5% of cases. For body length
 estimation, we established a quadratic relationship between the estimated
 and measured body lengths; however, the R2 of the quadratic model was only
 0·32. By comparing the three different sampling methods (EDAPHOLOG,
 pitfall traps and soil extraction), we concluded that EDAPHOLOG traps
 better select for soil microarthropods compared to classical pitfall
 traps, since the latter ones caught also many other arthropod species.
 Furthermore, the EDAPHOLOG traps caught more epigeic microarthropods and
 almost the same number of soil-dwelling euedaphic microarthropods as the
 numbers collected by soil extraction. During the 3-month-long field test,
 the total numbers of detected and captured individuals agreed very well,
 although the device tended to overestimate the number probably due to
 counting also some soil particles falling into the probe. This trend was
 the same regardless of the total number caught. Surface-dwelling epigeic
 and litter-dwelling hemiedaphic microarthropods dominated the samples
 although soil-dwelling euedaphic microarthropods were also caught.
 EDAPHOLOG is a novel device that consumes little power, rugged enough to
 operate in the field for extended periods of time, and can be remotely
 controlled. It detects surface- and soil-dwelling microarthropods
 real-time, and with high accuracy; however, it is less accurate to
 estimate body size. The system is especially suitable in field research
 focusing on temporal activity of microarthropods. Because it is
 non-invasive, studies requiring long-term monitoring, such as soil
 remediation or ecosystem restoration projects, will also find EDAPHOLOG
 useful.
description: Comparison of trapping
 methodsDetectability and body
 size estimationDetectability of soil
 microarthropods in field