Test No. 232: Collembolan Reproduction Test in Soil

This Test Guideline is designed for assessing the effects of chemicals on the reproduction of collembolans in soil. The parthenogenetic Folsomia candida is the recommended species for use, but an alternative species such as sexually reproducing Folsomia fimetaria could also be used if they meet the validity criteria. This Guideline can be used for testing both water soluble and insoluble substances but it is not applicable to volatile ones. The Guideline aims to determine toxic effects of the test substance on adult mortality and reproductive output expressed as LCx and ECx respectively, or NOEC/LOEC value. The number of treatment concentrations varies depending on endpoints to be determined. For a combined approach to examine both the NOEC/LOEC and ECx, eight concentrations in a geometric series with four replicates for each concentration as well as eight control replicates should be used. In each test vessel, 10 juveniles F. candida (or 10 males and 10 females adults F. fimetaria) should be placed on 30 g of modified OECD artificial soil using a 5 % organic matter content. The duration of a definitive reproduction test is 4 weeks for F. candida or 3 weeks for F. fimetaria.