Lu J. Z. auteur aut IRD Pfingstl T. auteur aut IRD Junker R. R. auteur aut IRD Maraun M. auteur aut IRD Erktan Amandine auteur aut IRD Scheu S. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Evolution optimizes the performance of living organisms through budgeting of limited resources, leading to life- history trade-offs. Many life-history traits are related to body size with larger species typically exhibiting a slower pace of life and lower fecundity. However, soil-living organisms may exhibit size-independent life-history strategies due to habitat space constraints, but this has never been tested. Here, we synthesize life-history traits in springtails (Insecta: Collembola) and mites (Acari: Oribatida, Astigmata, Mesostigmata), the most abundant microarthropods worldwide, living mainly in litter and the pore space of soil. We related life-history traits to body size and individual metabolic rate, and showed that life-history traits of soil microarthropods display a trade-off between lifespan and reproductive rate, spanning a continuum from fast to slow life-history strategies. Oribatida exhibit remarkably slow life-histories and long lifespans with lower reproductive rates than Collembola, Astigmata and Mesostigmata. Despite fresh body mass of soil microarthropods varying by three orders of magnitude, fast and slow life-history strategies occurred in all size classes suggesting largely size-independent life-history strategies. Overall, these findings indicate a soil animal economics spectrum that bears key implications for understanding local biodiversity and the coexistence of soil animal species, such as how Collembola and Oribatida coexist worldwide. specialized Species coexistence Soil biodiversity Functional trait r -K selection Fast-slow continuum Life-history tactics 074 020 455 117206 [8 p.] 2025 0016-7061 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010092830 10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117206 0016-7061 [F B010092830] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010092830 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/2025-04/010092830.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2025-04-02 2025-04-02 fdi:010092830 fre