UNE-EN ISO 23611-1:2026

This document specifies a method for sampling and handling earthworms from field soils as a prerequisitefor using these animals as bioindicators (e.g. to assess the quality of a soil as a habitat for organisms).This document applies to all terrestrial biotopes in which earthworms occur. The sampling design of fieldstudies in general is given in ISO 18400-101 and guidance on the determination of effects of pollutants onearthworms in field situations is given in ISO 11268-31). These aspects can vary according to the nationalrequirements or the climatic/regional conditions of the site to be sampled.This document is not applicable for semi-terrestrial soils (i.e. soils that are partly aquatic like bogs, beaches,marshes, stream margins, etc.) and it can be difficult to use under extreme climatic or geographicalconditions (e.g. in high mountains). Methods for other soil organism groups, such as micro-arthropods andenchytraeids (mesofauna), are covered in other parts of ISO 23611.