Large soil invertebrates of coniferous forests along gradient of air pollution: temporal series of the data (Komi Republic)

Study Extent

The dataset provides information on the number of individuals of Large soil invertebrates in soil cores and soil traps collected in pine and spruce forests located in the zone of influence of pulp and paper industry.

Sampling

The collection of soil invertebrates was carried out in areas of pine and spruce forests in different zones (impact, buffer and background) from the enterprise. The material includes data collected during the period of modernization and reduction of emissions of the enterprise.

Quality Control

The data were collected and identified by specialists from the Institute of Biology of the Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Lumbricidae, Lithobiidae, Julidae, Polyzoniidae, Coleoptera (Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Eleteridae, Curculionidae, Ostomatidae), some Hemiptera have been identified to the species.

Method steps

1. Two methods of material collection were used at each site: 1. Soil samples. We took 8-10 soil samples with a size of 25x25 cm or 10x10 cm to a depth of 5-10 cm. 2. Soil traps. The barber traps were made of plastic pots (10 cm deep, 12 cm in diameter) filled with salt water (30% vol.) and formalin (5% vol.) and buried to the rim into the soil. Individuals, who could not be identified in the field, were stored in 95% ethanol for subsequent identification with binocular microscope.

1. Lumbricidae
   rank: family
2. Julidae
   rank: family
3. Polyzoniidae
   rank: family
4. Lithobiidae
   rank: family
5. Carabidae
   rank: family
6. Staphylinidae
   rank: family
7. Elateridae
   rank: family
8. Curculionidae
   rank: family
9. Ostomatidae
   rank: family

and paper industry using the example of JSC «Mondi SLPK». The enterprise is located on the territory of the Komi Republic and has been operating since 1969. Mondi Syktyvkar is one of the leaders in the Russian pulp and paper industry and the largest domestic paper producer. At the same time enterprise is also a source of industrial emissions into the air basin of various pollutants. The company's emissions include sulfur and nitrogen oxides, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur anhydride, mineral dust containing calcium and sodium carbonates and sulfides (Torlopova and Robakidze, 2012). Since 2002, the enterprise has been carrying out large-scale work aimed at reducing the impact of airborne man-made emissions on the environment.