BerleseTrichter

BerleseTrichter, often called a Berlese funnel, is a sampling device used in soil and leaf litter studies to extract small invertebrates such as mites, springtails, and nematodes. The principle relies on heat and desiccation: a warm, dry upper zone drives moisture and animals downward into a cooler, more humid collecting vessel.

The apparatus typically consists of a funnel or conical container, a mesh or sieve to support the sample, a collecting jar or tube at the bottom containing a preservative (commonly ethanol or water with a small amount of glycerin), and a heat source placed above the sample (such as an electric lamp or heating pad). The sample, placed on the mesh, is gradually heated; organisms move downward in an attempt to escape the drying conditions and are captured in the bottom vessel.

Procedure notes: a small amount of leaf litter, soil, or compost is placed on the mesh, the jar is filled with preservative, and the heat source is activated for several hours up to a day. After extraction, the collecting vial is sealed and the specimens are later sorted and identified under a microscope. Preservation fluid choice affects later processing and observation.

History and variants: the device was devised by Antonio Berlese in the early 20th century for microarthropod extraction. A related design, the Tullgren funnel, was developed later and serves a similar purpose; both are widely used in soil biodiversity and ecological surveys.

Applications: primarily used in ecology, agronomy, and soil health assessments to quantify and study soil microfauna, contribute to biodiversity inventories, and monitor environmental changes.