Diversity and abundance of soil macroinvertebrates along a contamination gradient in the Central Urals, Russia

The dataset includes a 2004 census for topsoil macroinvertebrates of spruce-fir forests along a pollution gradient in the Central Urals. The dataset describes soil macrofauna’s abundance and community structure (list of supraspecific taxa, list of species for most abundant taxa, and taxa or species abundance) in areas differing with toxic metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) contamination levels from the Middle Ural Copper Smelter (heavily polluted, moderately polluted, and unpolluted areas). The dataset consists of 340 sampling events (= samples, corresponding to upper and lower layers of the soil monoliths), and 64 658 occurrences (abundance of invertebrate taxa per sample (soil layer), both present and absent). Arachnids, Carabids (adults), Elaterids (juveniles), Chilopods, Diplopods, Gastropods, Staphylinids (adults), and Lmbricids were identified to species level. In contrast, Mermithids, Enchytraeids, Lepidopteran larvae, Dipteran larvae, Hemipterans, Hymenopterans, and some other insects were identified to family or order levels. In total, 8 430 individuals of soil macroinvertebrates were collected in two soil layers (organic and organic-mineral horizons), including 1 046 Arachnids (spiders and harvestmen), 45 Carabids, 300 Elaterids, 529 Myriapods, 741 Gastropods, 437 Staphylinids, 623 Lumbricids, and 4 709 other invertebrates. The presence-absence data on each taxon is provided for each sampling event. The dataset contains information helpful for long-term ecotoxicological monitoring of forest ecosystems and contributes to studying soil macrofauna diversity in the Urals.