Abstract
We studied the influence of temperature, soil moisture content, and nutrition level on the biology of Paronychiurus kimi (Lee). The hatchability and juvenile survival rate were not related to temperature in the range tested from 17 °C to 28 °C. The juvenile developmental rate increased linearly as the temperature increased up to 28 °C, and the lower threshold temperature for development of P. kimi was estimated to be 8.6 °C. The intrinsic rate of natural increase ( r m ) increased with increasing temperature up to 25 °C, but reduced beyond that temperature. An empirical nonlinear model describing the relation between temperature and r m suggests that a P. kimi population is able to develop in the temperature range of 7.9 °C – 30.3 °C, with an optimum at 25 °C. The soil moisture content and nutrition level significantly affect the reproduction of P. kimi . The P. kimi population is unable to increase at 10% soil moisture content except when the springtail is provided with large amounts of yeast. This suggests greater tolerance of well-fed springtails to low soil moisture. Based on this study, we discuss the seasonal fluctuation of the P. kimi population in a rice paddy field.
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