Journal article

Publication year: 1998

Pages: 439-445

Journal: Applied Soil Ecology

Volume number: 9

Issue number: 1-3

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(98)00102-4

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
This investigation aims at providing quantitative criteria for the planning of sampling schemes for the field census of soil invertebrates. In total, 400 data sets from the literature comprising field counts of 120 species of soil macro- and mesofauna from 10 000 samples are analyzed with respect to spatial variance. The data exhibited a consistent dependence of variance on the mean and on the degree of taxonomic resolution. Analyses of field data and simulations were combined to quantify (1) the probability of recording rare species, (2) the confidence limits for estimates of population density, and (3) the ability to discriminate between density estimates from different sites. Nomograms and equations are provided for practical use.  Population data with low taxonomic resolution, i.e. data based on functional or taxonomic groups, proved to exhibit a considerably higher statistical quality than data on single species. The consequences for a biological characterization of soils are briefly discussed.

Harvard Citation style: Ekschmitt, K. (1998) Population assessments of soil fauna: General criteria for the planning of sampling schemes, Applied Soil Ecology, 9(1-3), pp. 439-445. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(98)00102-4

APA Citation style: Ekschmitt, K. (1998). Population assessments of soil fauna: General criteria for the planning of sampling schemes. Applied Soil Ecology. 9(1-3), 439-445. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0929-1393(98)00102-4