A large database on functional traits for soil ecologists: BETSI

International audienceFunctional approaches are gaining considerable traction in ecology. Expanding the functional trait-based conceptual framework to soil organisms has been slowed by the lack of standardized semantic and methods. The Biological and Ecological Traits of Soil Invertebrates database (BETSI, https://portail.betsi.cnrs.fr/) is a European database dedicated specifically to soil organisms’ traits. This open database now gathers 129 185 entries on 44 413 species and 56 traits coming from about 2000 literature references and is linked to a thesaurus defining each trait. In this presentation, we will give an overview of the database and of its multiple associated research projects. With more than 20 articles, four PhD thesis conducted on various taxonomic groups and land uses/soil types, and multiple collaborative projects, e.g. on soil invertebrates feeding preferences or earthworm distribution in France, the database offers many opportunities to improve our knowledge on the functional facet of soil biodiversity. Most publications using or citing BETSI aimed to clarify the relationships between functional traits and habitat or environmental stressors. We will further highlight the main perspectives and future directions on functional traits research in soil ecology in order to advance the monitoring and conservation of soil biodiversity