1 Design of feeding inhibition tests with isopods, applying exposure through food (left) or to contaminated soil with contaminated or uncontaminated food (right). In the test with contaminated food only, the animals are kept on a net or gauze allowing also for collecting faeces produced; this will enable estimating food assimilation efficiency. By offering the animals pre-weighed disks or pieces of leaf, food consumption can easily be determined. 2 Design of an avoidance test with isopods. The test uses containers with two compartments. One compartment is filled with contaminated soil, the other one with clean soil. After two days of exposure, the position of the animals in the container is checked. By testing a range of concentrations, including a control (clean soil in both compartments), a dose-response relationship for avoidance may be obtained. The test may also be used to assess avoidance responses to field-contaminated soils, but in that case it might be more difficult to find a proper control soil. Drawing made by Paula Tourinho.

 
 
  Part of: van Gestel CAM, Loureiro S, Zidar P (2018) Terrestrial isopods as model organisms in soil ecotoxicology: a review. In: Hornung E, Taiti S, Szlavecz K (Eds) Isopods in a Changing World. ZooKeys 801: 127-162. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.801.21970