Microarthropods as soil health indicators

Publication date: 04-02-2026
Extent: 40 pages

Contributions by: Junwei Hu and Stefaan De Neve, Ghent University, Belgium; and Zoë Lindo, University of Western Ontario, Canada

Chapter synopsis:

This chapter briefly summarizes current knowledge on microarthropod abundance and diversity in soils, their roles in soil processes and ecosystem services, and the agricultural management practices affecting soil microarthropod community. It also provides an overview of sampling, extraction and identification methods, including the importance of accounting for spatial and temporal variability. Potential soil health indicators derived from microarthropod abundance, diversity, and traits are reviewed, with case studies illustrating important aspects of the use of microarthropods as soil health indicators. The chapter concludes with several important challenges and perspectives for future research for use of these indicators in practice.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2025.0159.10