Soil Organisms in the Subarctic (SOS)

Soil species contribute ~25% to global biodiversity; however, comprehensive soil biodiversity data are patchy and partially non-existent. This knowledge gap prohibits environmental assessments of human impacts (e.g., agriculture, pollution, climate change, and invasive species) on soil ecosystems.

It has been shown, particularly in northern geographical regions like northern Scandinavia, that much of the biological biodiversity in soils remains unknown while numerous soil invertebrate species go extinct due to climate change and other human activities before they can be described by scientists. This is problematic because scientists cannot determine the ecological functions of those extinct species and compositions of soil invertebrate communities, losing valuable knowledge to be used in sustainable management of soil ecosystems.

This project therefore aims to contribute to increasing knowledge on subarctic soil invertebrates in eastern Finnmark (Norway). More specifically, three major soil invertebrate groups, namely springtails (Collembola), mites (Acari), and nematodes (Nematoda), will be studied. These groups are among the most species-rich in soil as well being among the least studied and scientists anticipate that many more species are to be found.