Global fine-resolution data on springtail abundance and community structure.

Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised. Despite covering all continents, most of the sample-level data come from the European continent (82.5% of all samples) and represent four habitats: woodlands (57.4%), grasslands (14.0%), agrosystems (13.7%) and scrublands (9.0%). We included sampling by soil layers, and across seasons and years, representing temporal and spatial within-site variation in springtail communities. We also provided data use and sharing guidelines and R code to facilitate the use of the database by other researchers. This data paper describes a static version of the database at the publication date, but the database will be further expanded to include underrepresented regions and linked with trait data.

Globally invariant metabolism but density-diversity mismatch in springtails.

Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown. Here, using a global dataset representing 2470 sites, we estimate the total soil springtail biomass at 27.5 megatons carbon, which is threefold higher than wild terrestrial vertebrates, and record peak densities up to 2 million individuals per square meter in the tundra. Despite a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, springtail energy use (community metabolism) remains similar across the latitudinal gradient, owing to the changes in temperature with latitude. Neither springtail density nor community metabolism is predicted by local species richness, which is high in the tropics, but comparably high in some temperate forests and even tundra. Changes in springtail activity may emerge from latitudinal gradients in temperature, predation and resource limitation in soil communities. Contrasting relationships of biomass, diversity and activity of springtail communities with temperature suggest that climate warming will alter fundamental soil biodiversity metrics in different directions, potentially restructuring terrestrial food webs and affecting soil functioning.

A new species of Entomobrya Rondani, 1861 (Collembola, Entomobryidae, Entomobryinae) from Croatia with the redescription of Entomobrya margaretae Gruia, 1967.

In the present paper, a new species of the genus Entomobrya is described from Croatia. E. silvicola sp. nov. has a unique colour pattern that distinguishes it from other Entomobrya species in Europe and worldwide. Besides the different colour pattern, there are notable differences in the dorsal macrochaetotaxy and other characters that distinguish the new species from the other Entomobrya sharing the same dorsal macrochaetotaxy formula of Abd IIIII. Herein, we also provide the redescription of E. margaretae Gruia, 1967, based on topotypic specimens, of which a neotype was designated.

A new species of Pseudosinella Schäffer, 1897 (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from Hungary and Romania, with redescription of the related species Pseudosinellahuetheri Stomp, 1971.

A new species of the genus Pseudosinella Schäffer, 1897 from Hungary and Romania is described and illustrated. Pseudosinellahartnerae sp. nov. belongs to the group with 5+5 eyes, and can be identified by its unique labial chaetotaxy (M1m2rel1L2) within this group. Pseudosinellahuetheri Stomp, 1971, the closest related species sharing the same dorsal macrochaetae formula (R0R1R2001/00/0101+2), is also redescribed here based on the holotype. Comparative analysis between the two species and among other related species is provided.

Two new species of Hymenaphorura Bagnall, 1948 (Collembola, Onychiuridae) from Romania and an updated key to the genus.

Two new species of the genus Hymenaphorura from Romania, H. urbana sp. nov. and H. kalindera sp. nov., are described and illustrated. Hymenaphorura urbana has a postantennal organ (PAO) with 13-15 simple vesicles, abdominal terga I-III with subequal setae p2 and p3, abdominal tergum V granular area with 3+3 distinct, long macrosetae, and H. kalindera sp. nov. has PAO with 9-12 simple vesicles, one border seta, abdominal terga I-III with setae p2 slightly longer than setae p3, abdominal tergum V granular area with 4+4 distinct macrosetae. Remarks on H. subsimilis Bagnall, 1948 are given. An updated key for the world distributed species of Hymenaphorura is presented.

Effects of vineyard inter-row management on the diversity and abundance of plants and surface-dwelling invertebrates in Central Romania.

Vineyard inter-rows are important biodiversity hotspots within agricultural landscapes, especially when they are covered with vegetation. However, little is known on the effects to management intensity on a broad range of surface-dwelling invertebrates and their interaction with vegetation. We assessed the diversity and activity density of ants, beetles, millipedes, mites, spiders, springtails and woodlice using pitfall traps in vineyards with either high management intensity (HI) consisting of frequently tilled inter-rows or low management intensity (LO) with alternating tillage in every second inter-row. The study was performed in the Târnave wine region in Central Romania. We wanted to know whether, (i) vineyard management intensity affects the diversity of plants and invertebrates, and (ii) local habitat characteristics affect species richness of different functional guilds and taxa. Species richness of some invertebrate taxa (Coleoptera, Araneae, Formicidae) did significantly differ between HI and LO vineyards. Only phytophages (some Coleoptera) increased in species richness and activity density with vegetation cover. Vineyard soil properties (organic matter content, pH, P, and K) did not significantly differ between HI and LO vineyards. We conclude that vineyard inter-row management can affect both the conservation of biodiversity and the provision of biodiversity-driven ecosystem services.

A new species of Acerentulus Berlese, 1908 (Protura, Acerentomata, Acerentomidae) from Bulgaria with a revised key to the confinis group.

A new species, Acerentulus bulgaricus sp. nov., belonging to the confinis group, is described from Bulgaria. This species is characterized by long foretarsal sensilla a and b, the posterior position of foretarsal seta δ4, the presence of seta P1a on abdominal tergites II-VII and seta P3a on abdominal tergite VII, possession of eight anterior setae on abdominal tergite VII and composed spsm pores on sternite VI. The new species differs from all members of the confinis group in possessing P1a setae on tergites II-VII. Otherwise it is similar in body chaetotaxy and porotaxy to three species of the cunhai group, A. proximus, A. correzeanus and A. tuxeni. The identification key to 22 Acerentulus species belonging to confinis group is revised.

Neutral colonisations drive high beta-diversity in cavernicole springtails (Collembola).

The theory of island biogeography predicts the effects of habitat isolation and size on species richness, community assembly, and the persistence of species. Various studies showed that habitat conditions and the ecology of species are also of relevance in explaining community assembly. Geographically isolated habitats like caves with rather constant environmental conditions provide models to test for the relevance of the above described variables. In this study we analysed springtails living in karst caves of the Romanian Carpathians and Dobrogea region. We considered phylogenetic relatedness, habitat and species characteristics to identify the relevant drivers of community assembly. Our data show that species richness of single caves is low. Neither phylogenetic relatedness nor habitat filtering and competitive interactions seem to shape species composition or to affect species richness. We found that glacial-interglacial cycles with subsequent range contractions and expansions might have led to independent and multiple colonisations of caves. Furthermore, single caves might have acted as refugia and thus might have provided the prerequisite for distinct evolution processes, leading to a high level of endemicity of these animal species.

New records of Protura (Entognatha, Arthropoda) from Romania, with an identification key to the Romanian species.

The Romanian Protura were studied based on 175 specimens collected from Romania, along with bibliographic data. The main publication on the Romanian proturans was written by M.A. Ionescu (1951), who described 13 species mainly from soil and forest litter from 15 collecting points. The current paper represents the first study at a national level. Faunal data on Protura were obtained from 22 sites, mostly from forests of the Romanian Carpathians and also from a peri-urban area of Bucharest, which had not been studied before. As a result, the Romanian Protura fauna now consists of 27 known taxa in 6 genera and 4 families. Of the 27 taxa, 15 species are new records for Romanian fauna. An identification key to the Romanian Protura species is provided.

Diversity and Distribution of the Genus Friesea (Collembola: Neanuridae) in Romania with Description of Three New Species.

Cristina Fiera and Wanda Maria Weiner (2016) The Romanian Neanuridae is still not well known. In this study we review the Friesea species present in Romania and describe three new species, namely Friesea posada sp. nov., F. mirceai sp. nov. and F. stampa sp. nov. Friesea posada sp. nov. is unique among six other species sharing some morphological characters (6 + 6 eyes, the presence of furca and three anal spines), but the new species has one clavate tenent hair on the tibiotarsi and a reduced mucro which is sometimes absent. The other two species, F. mirceai sp. nov. and F. stampa sp. nov., belong to the group of species characterized by the presence of 5 + 5 eyes, 3 + 3 chaetae on dens and 3 anal spines on Abd. VI. In F. stampa sp. nov. the chaetotaxy of abdominal tergum IV differs, and in F. mirceai sp. nov. the mucro is present and chaeta A1 on tibiotarsus is capitated and longer than the inner edge of claw. Four species are recorded for the first time in Romania: F. emucronata Stach, 1922, F. cf. tolosana Cassagnau, 1958, F. atypica Cassagnau, 1958 and F. aeolica Dallai, 1973. A total of thirteen species of Friesea is reported from Romania and the distribution maps are given for all.

Tetracanthella doftana sp. nov. (Collembola, Isotomidae) from Romania, with a key to Carpathian Tetracanthella Schott, 1891.

A new species of the Tetracanthella pilosa group is described from Romanian Carpathians. T doftana sp. nov. is similar to T. andalusiaca Deharveng, 1987. They differ by the number of sublobal hairs, size of macrochaetae and distribution. A key to Carpathian Tetracanthella Schott, 1891 species is also given.