Microhabitats of Collembola (Insecta: Entognatha) in beech and spruce forests and their influence on biodiversity

Abstract

Collembolan communities were studied in 41 microhabitats in beech and spruce forests of south (Žofín and Šumava) and central (Jevany) Bohemia. The communities of Collembola were analysed using TWINSPAN and CANOCO programs. The aim of this study was to establish differences between patch (microhatitat) communities and the main forest community in spruce and beech forests, the differences between both types of forests and among different regions of Bohemia. Further questions were: is there a difference in microhabitat communities during secondary forest succession? do some species live exclusively in one or few microhabitats? and does microhabitat diversity influence the biodiversity in forest soils? Material comprising 25 590 specimens of Collembola belonging to 142 species was analysed. Highly significant differences were determined between microhabitat communities in beech and spruce forests, as well as among forests in different regions of Bohemia. Significant differences were also found among microhabitats in forests of different ages. Also, some microhabitat communities of Collembola, e.g. moss on boulders, were significantly different from their main forest community. Certain collembolan species existed exclusively in one or two microhabitats. Patches therefore influenced substantially biodiversity in these forest soils.