Notes on Methods for the Extraction of Small Soil Arthropods

Quantifying Variation of Soil Arthropods Using Different Sampling Protocols: Is Diversity Affected?

“…Also, abundance was highest from shovelled samples in the dry forest, and in the wet forest abundance was highest from the cored samples although the pace of retrieval was slow. One explanation is that the loose structure of shovelled samples retained less humidity and dried out faster allowing the temperature/humidity gradient to be established sooner than in the compact cored samples where more humidity could be retained (MacFadyen 1953). This would have a dual effect, in wet forest samples, the gradient resulting from drying out the cored sample at room temperature moved slowly downwards forcing arthropods to leave the sample but not being large enough to kill them (as would occur in the shovelled samples) resulting in higher arthropod abundance in cored than in shovelled samples.…”

“…During the experiment, sample temperature and humidity were not measured but from reviewing literature, we assumed that the use of a light bulb during extractions increased sample temperature and dried the sample resulting in a gradient of temperature and humidity within the sample, while in the extractions without light, the establishment of the gradient would depend on the temperature and humidity of the room where extractions were performed (MacFadyen 1953;MacFadyen 1961;Haarlov 1947;Søvik & Leinaas 2002;Block 1966).…”

“…Arthropods are usually retrieved from soil/litter samples with Berlese-Tullgren funnels (Walter et al 1987;Rohitha 1992;MacFadyen 1961;Bremner 1990;Lakly & Crossley 2000;MacFadyen 1953;Haarlov 1947). In these funnels, a source of heat (i.e.…”

Testing the Ecological and Physiological Factors Influencing Reproductive Success in Mosses

“…Cores were collected into plastic bags and kept in a cooler until returning PSU (within 16 hours of collection) for extraction by modified Berlese funnels (Macfadyen, 1953) via a humidity and light gradient (Andrew et al, 2003).…”

“…C. purpureus patches were used for the majority of the additions, other co-occurring mosses were used when necessary. Patches were collected into a plastic bag and immediately brought back to the greenhouse, weighed into nine 100 g rations, misted with tap water and added to modified collapsible Berlese funnels for live extraction via humidity and light gradient (Andrew et al, 2003a, Macfadyen, 1953, Yanoviak et al, 2004.…”