Abstract:
Collembolans are one of the invertebrate groups inhabiting in soil. They serve as decomposers and are important as soil quality indicators. To date,
Collembolans in vegetable fields are poorly known in Sri Lanka.
Collembolans inhabited each of the three, Brinjol, Okra and Tomato fields, in Denipitiya, Labuduwa and Ridiyagama, respectively, were investigated, during July- September 2013. At each location, a 100m2 plot was selected with respect to each vegetable field and ten soil corer samples, each of 500g, were taken at random, fortnightly. The Collembolans in all these soil samples were extracted using floatation method and numbers in the
supernatant was counted using a stereo-microscope in a well plate.
Identification of Collembolan was done upto the generic level using
taxonomic keys. Eight genera, Cyphoderus, Entomobrya, Folsomia,
Guthriella, Isotomodes, Neaura, Podura and Tullbergia in six families, Cyphoderidae, Entomobryidae, Isotomidae, Neuridae, Onychiuridae and Poduridae, were detected.The highest Collembolan diversity (6.33 ± 0.17) and abundance (395.33±0.90) were recorded at Labuduwa followed by
Denipitiya. Cyphoderus, Folsomia, Guthriella, Isotomodes, Neaura and
Tullbergia were common at all the three locations. In contrast, Entomobrya
was restricted to Labuduwa. Podura occurred in Labuduwa and Ridiyagama
while Tullbergia was prevalent at
Folsomia, Guthriella, Isotomodes,
Labuduwa and Denipitiya. Cyphoderus, Neaura, Podura and Tullbergia were
common at three vegetable fields. Cyphoderus showed the highest abundance (234 ± 4.09) at Labuduwa (P<0.002) whereas Folsomia acquired the second highest (219.1 ± 1.12) at the same location. The abundance of
Isotomodes (19.33 ± 0.66) Podura (51.6±1.21) and Entomobrya (9.66 ±
0.06) was the lowest (P<0.0001) at all locations.
