Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 35/2. (2015)

Zoology

SURVEY OF COLLEMBOLA (HEXAPODA) OF THE CODRII RESERVE

Galina BU§MACHIU

Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Academiei str. 1, 2028 Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, e-mail: bushmakiu@yahoo.com

Abstract: The paper includes the study of 112 Collembolan species from diverse habitats of the Codrii Reserve. The majority of species have a large zoogeographical distribution: Palaearctic (28), cosmopolitan (26 species) Holarctic and European (24 species each) and Mediterranean (7). Three species have been also cited from Poland and Ukraine or described from the Republic of Moldova. Identified Collembola species are highly diversified ecologically and in many cases habitat-restricted. List of species, distribution and some ecology are included.

Keywords: springtails, habitat, ecology, species diversity.

Introduction

Collembola (Hexapoda) is one of the most abundant and ubiquitous taxon, probably exceeding all other insects in numbers of individuals [14]. For Collembola about 8,000 species have been described in the world and the majorities of these organisms are virtually ubiquitous in terrestrial systems, being one of the more successful arthropod lineages [32].

Collembola may be sampled throughout the year in all habitats and different climatic conditions, and occupy key positions in the food webs. The representatives of this group directly participate in the formation of natural fertility and transformation of organic material. Their role in decay of plant residues and in maintaining of the natural fertility of soil is very important [24].

Knowledge of the collembolan fauna of the European reserves is far from satisfactory. Important studies were done by Busmachiu [4]; Kaprus [16]; Nősek [19]; Rusek [22, 24]; Smolis & Skarzynski [26]; Szeptycki [28]; Traser [30]; Weiner [31] et al. most of which are located in the mountainous areas. A lot of interesting and especially rare and unique collembolan species have been found and described from such areas.

The first result of the study of Collembola from the Codrii reserve was published in 1999 in which 63 collembolan species were cited [3]. Some data about Collembola was included in the monograph „Conspectui diversitätii biologice a Rezervatiei „Codrii” [9].

The aim of this study was to survey the collembolan species from Codrii reserve pointing to their ecological preferences. As a result of the investigations, the list of Collembola from this reserve increased to 112, which constitute about a half of the collembolan species numbered in the country [3].

M A R I S I A, XXXV, p. 81-94