Description
This dataset contains occurrence records of soil macrofauna species collected along a hemeroby gradient in a reconstructed urban park — the Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, Ukraine. The sampling was conducted from 2011 to 2013 in 20 plots using a standardized transect-based design within each plot (7 transects, 15 sampling points; 105 samples per plot). Each record includes coordinates, date, species identity, and the number of individuals observed. The dataset provides insights into how anthropogenic landscape transformation affects the taxonomic composition and spatial distribution of soil invertebrates. Associated measurements of vegetation naturalness, plant species composition, and soil properties (e.g., moisture, compaction, conductivity) were also recorded. This dataset supports further analysis of ecological gradients, hemeroby effects, and biodiversity patterns in urban ecosystems.
Data Records
The data in this occurrence resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 12,227 records.
This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.
Versions
The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.
How to cite
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Tutova H, Kunakh O, Zhukov O (2025). Soil macrofauna community structure along a hemeroby gradient in an urban park (Dnipro, Ukraine). Version 1.0. Bohdan Khmelnytsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University. Occurrence dataset. https://ukraine.ipt.gbif.no/resource?r=soilmacrofauna_dnipro&v=1.0
Rights
Researchers should respect the following rights statement:
The publisher and rights holder of this work is Bohdan Khmelnytsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University. To the extent possible under law, the publisher has waived all rights to these data and has dedicated them to the Public Domain (CC0 1.0). Users may copy, modify, distribute and use the work, including for commercial purposes, without restriction.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 6b9b4888-2c71-447e-9fbc-45d0c13b8fc7. Bohdan Khmelnytsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by Participant Node Managers Committee.
Keywords
Occurrence soil macrofauna hemeroby urban ecology biodiversity invertebrates RLQ analysis ecological gradient Dnipro Ukraine occurrence Anthropogenic impact
Contacts
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Geographic Coverage
The dataset covers the area of the Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, located in the city of Dnipro, southeastern Ukraine. The garden represents a reconstructed urban green space where various degrees of anthropogenic transformation and vegetation naturalness coexist along a spatial gradient. Soil macrofauna sampling was conducted across 20 plots representing this gradient.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [48.429, 35.038], North East [48.434, 35.044] |
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Taxonomic Coverage
The dataset includes records of soil macrofauna taxa representing diverse invertebrate groups. The taxonomic coverage spans multiple phyla and classes including: Phylum Annelida: Class Clitellata (e.g., Aporrectodea, Lumbricus) Phylum Arthropoda: Class Insecta (e.g., Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Tenebrionidae) Class Diplopoda (e.g., Julidae) Class Arachnida (e.g., Lycosidae) Phylum Mollusca: Class Gastropoda (e.g., Bradybaena, Cochlicopa) Species were identified to the finest possible level, primarily to species, based on morphological traits. The fauna reflects characteristic elements of Eastern European urban soil invertebrate communities along gradients of disturbance and vegetation naturalness.
| Phylum | Annelida (Segmented worms), Arthropoda (Arthropods), Mollusca (Mollusks) |
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Temporal Coverage
| Start Date / End Date | 2011-05-01 / 2013-06-30 |
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Project Data
No Description available
| Title | Soil macrofauna diversity and ecological gradients in urban ecosystems of Dnipro (2011–2013) |
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Sampling Methods
Soil macrofauna were sampled manually using a metal soil corer (25 × 25 cm, depth 10 cm). Each sampling point within the transects was marked and excavated individually. Invertebrates were extracted directly in the field and preserved in 70% ethanol. Identification was performed under stereomicroscopes using regional taxonomic keys, with most specimens identified to species level. For each point, additional measurements were taken, including soil penetration resistance (penetrometer), moisture content (gravimetric method), and electrical conductivity (portable probe). Vegetation at each plot was surveyed using a 1×1 m quadrat to calculate floristic richness and naturalness indices. All data were georeferenced using a handheld GPS receiver (accuracy ±3 m).
| Study Extent | The study was conducted in the Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University (Dnipro, Ukraine) from 2011 to 2013. A total of 20 sampling plots were established across a hemeroby gradient reflecting different degrees of anthropogenic transformation. Each plot contained 7 transects with 15 sampling points, resulting in 105 soil macrofauna samples per plot. The total number of individual observations exceeded 2000 records. The study area encompasses managed and unmanaged vegetation, including lawns, tree plantations, and semi-natural patches, within the reconstructed urban park landscape. |
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Method step description:
- 1. Field sampling was conducted at 20 plots using standardized soil coring (25×25 cm, 10 cm depth) at 105 georeferenced points per plot from 2011 to 2013. 2. Macrofauna specimens were hand-sorted in the field, preserved in 70% ethanol, and labeled by date and location. 3. Invertebrates were identified in the laboratory under a stereomicroscope using standard morphological keys. 4. Each occurrence was recorded in a standardized format, including species name, coordinates, date, and individual count. 5. Environmental variables (soil penetration resistance, moisture, conductivity, and vegetation characteristics) were measured and linked to each sampling point. 6. Species names were verified against GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. 7. The dataset was formatted according to Darwin Core standards for publication via IPT.
Additional Metadata
| Alternative Identifiers | https://ukraine.ipt.gbif.no/resource?r=soilmacrofauna_dnipro |
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