COLLEMBOLA (ARTHROPODA) OF BALSAM FIR [ ABIES BALSAMEA (L.)] FORESTS OF WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND

• Published in: The Canadian Entomologist
• Main Authors: Puvanendran, D.C., Larson, D.J., Thompson, I.D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1997
• Subjects: Insect Science; Molecular Biology; Physiology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Structural Biology; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/ent129505-3; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X00011640

Abstract The Collembola of commercial balsam fir [ Abies balsamea (L.)] forests of western Newfoundland were surveyed through Berlese funnel extraction of samples taken from soil and various forest microhabitats and through pit-fall trapping. A total of 64 species representing 30 genera was collected. Twenty-three genera and 47 species are new records for the Island of Newfoundland; eight additional species were identified to genus level only. For each species, the abundance in soil samples and distribution among microhabitats are described. The fauna of Newfoundland is about equivalent in species richness to that of Quebec and almost twice as rich as the recorded fauna of the Maritime Provinces. Few species are common to the three areas. However, this probably reflects the general paucity of knowledge of Canadian Collembola rather than indicating strong regional patterns in faunal composition.