Collembola Senart

Collembola from the Sénart state forest (20 km south of Paris, France). Sampling of Collembola was achieved over the widest possible array of ecological conditions where springtails were living: deciduous and coniferous forests stands, both on calcareous and acidic soils, pathways, clearings, meadows, agricultural crops, both inside and outside the forest area, ponds, springs, ditches, sphagnum bogs. Soil and litter horizons, as well as fallen wood and bark, moss cushions, plant aerial parts, tree trunks and floating vegetation, were sampled. At each plot, which was previously localized on a topographic and a geologic map, the environment was visually scrutinized for all possible micro-sites where springtails were suspected to live and could be sampled. An adequate amount of soil or vegetation (or any other environment) was taken with hand or with a shovel or eventually with scissors, and immediately placed in a plastic bag, to be transported to the nearby laboratory in Brunoy. Extraction was started on the same day, using Berlese funnels. For aquatic environments, each sample was deposited on a filter paper, which was turned over on the same day once water did not longer drip. Sampling took place in every season, from October 1973 to October 1977.