SOIL-INSECT toolbox: A new chamber for analysing the behaviour of herbivorous insects and tri-trophic interactions in soil

A chamber, named SOIL-INSECT toolbox, was developed to analyse the effect of various factors on behaviour soil-dwelling insects. It is equipped with sensors that continuously monitor concentration CO2 in different compartments chamber without disturbing air balance soil. The can be adapted study stimuli, including volatile compounds, both presence and absence plants. tested using larvae Melolontha spp., which confirmed its suitability for carrying out complex studies insect-insect insect-plant-microbiome interactions a environment such as results behavioural experiments L3 spp. sterilized natural soils revealed soil condition affected larvae, likely due microbiome physico-chemical characteristics.