MACROFAUNA database is the result of 20 years of collaborative work gathering a large number of scientific research teams around the world. Its main objectives are:

• to evaluate the soil macrofauna biodiversity at different geographic scales, from local to regional.
• to investigate the influence of land use, biotope perturbations and environmental factors on the soil macrofauna.
• to assess the influence of soil macrofauna community modifications on soil properties.
• to research bioindicators associated with specific environmental parameters or soil perturbations.

All data are collected on the basis of the sampling pattern as defined by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF) protocole : a site is represented by a transect or a quadrat and identical soil monolithes are carried out at regular intervals. Each monolithe is divided in regular strata. To date, MACROFAUNA database contains data for around 1000 sites and up to 10000 samples, distributed over 40 countries around the world.

A preliminary result of the data analysis highlighted a soil fauna total density significantly higher in the tropics compared to the temperate areas mainly due to a great abundance of termites and ants, and a soil fauna total biomass significantly higher in the temperate areas due to a greater abundance of earthworms.