Mikroinvertebray

Mikroinvertebray, or microinvertebrates, are small multicellular animals with body sizes typically measured in tenths of millimeters to a few millimeters. They are usually observed only with magnification and include several taxonomic groups that occupy soil, leaf litter, moss, freshwater sediments, and biofilms. Common representatives are nematodes, rotifers, tardigrades, gastrotrichs, and microcrustaceans such as copepods, cladocerans, and ostracods, as well as small arthropods like mites and springtails that fall into the microinvertebrate size range.

They are integral to microbial food webs: many feed on bacteria, microalgae, and detritus, while others are predators of even smaller organisms. Nematodes contribute to decomposition and nutrient cycling; rotifers and tardigrades help control microbial populations; microcrustaceans play a role in energy transfer from primary producers to larger animals. In soils, microinvertebrates influence soil structure through burrowing and feeding.

They are used as bioindicators of environmental conditions and soil health; their diversity and community composition respond to moisture, temperature, pH, pollutants, and habitat disturbance. In freshwater systems, microinvertebrates contribute to the processing of organic matter and serve as food for macroinvertebrates and fish. They are common subjects in ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring.

Researchers collect microinvertebrates by soil coring, litter extraction, or sediment sampling, followed by extraction techniques such as passage through sieves, sugar or saline floatation, and centrifugation; observations are typically performed with light microscopy, sometimes complemented by molecular methods.