© Entomologica Fennica. 28 November 2019 Five springtail (Collembola) species inhabiting heathlands in Poland Micha³ Furgo³, Agata Piwnik & Konrad Winiewski Furgo³, M., Piwnik, A. & Winiewski, K. 2019: Five springtail (Collembola) species inhabiting heathlands in Poland. Entomol. Fennica 30: 186195. doi: https://doi.org/10.33338/ef.87176 We report the presence of five Collembola species from western Poland, three of which were recorded in this country for the first time Bourletiella pistillum Gisin, 1964 (Bourletiellidae), Lepidocyrtus tellecheae Arbea & Jordana 1990 (Entomobryidae) and Isotoma caerulea Bourlet, 1839 (Isotomidae). Seira doll- fusi Carl, 1899 (Entomobryidae) was earlier known solely from a single, old re- port. Pachyotoma topsenti (Denis, 1948) (Isotomidae) is generally considered a rare species in the region. Though generally infrequently encountered, all five species occur in very high numbers in our plots and they are among the dominant springtails. The habitats surveyed in the study, i.e. dry Calluna-heathlands and their accompanying habitats are endangered in Central Europe and require active management. In one of the studied plots, a prescribed burn was applied to rejuve- nate the heather. We discuss the distribution and habitat preferences of the five species in the European context and their possible significance as indicators of different habitat types. M. Furgo³ (ORCID: 0000-0001-8723-6363) & A. Piwnik (ORCID: 0000-0002- 2407-5037), Department of Invertebrate Biology, Evolution and Conservation, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wroc³aw, Przybyszewskiego 65, 51-148 Wroc³aw, Poland; E-mails: [email protected] & [email protected] K. Winiewski (ORCID: 0000-0002-6780-3292), Department of Zoology, Insti- tute of Biology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Mathematics and Nat- ural Sciences, Pomeranian University in S³upsk, Arciszewskiego 22b, 76-200 S³upsk, Poland; E-mail: [email protected] Received 1 February 2019, accepted 18 June 2019 1. Introduction of the most interesting and diverse arthropod groups, were largely neglected as far as research Calluna-heathlands and their associated habitats in heathlands are considered, although some data may host highly diverse, specific and endangered have already been published (Petersen 1995, invertebrate fauna (Usher 1992), which has been Shaw 1997). Dry heathlands are associated with observed in some different groups, such as cara- sandy areas, such as dunes and pioneer grass- bids (Schirmel 2010, Buchholz et al. 2013), some lands. The springtail fauna of these habitats other insect taxa (Swengel 2001) and spiders seems to be equally interesting (S³awska 1996, (Krause & Assmann 2016). The springtails, one Russell 2008, Piwnik & Skar¿yñski 2011, 2015). ENTOMOL. FENNICA Vol. 30 Five springtail species in heathlands 187 Collembola are abundant in a variety of habi- shrubs, a plot where heather was rejuvenated with tats, their assemblages are often rich in species, a controlled burn on 15.III.2015 and a plot, in and therefore they may be used as indicators of which Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench grass al- habitats or change of habitat quality (Ponge et al. most totally dominates. The invertebrate fauna is 2008, Dunger & Voigtländer 2009). In addition, surveyed by use of pitfall traps (7 independent the composition of their assemblages may reflect traps per plot in a transect with 20 m spacing, one the intensity of some disturbances, e.g. fire transect per plot). The traps are exposed all year (Huebner et al. 2012). Little is known about the round and checked every 3 weeks in the growing biology of many springtail species, which im- season, in winter the interval is slightly longer, pairs further analysis of their plausible role as in- i.e. about 1 month. Additionally, we sampled col- dicator organisms. lembolans from vegetation onto a metal bowl in Dry heathlands in Poland with compact the same three plots as above and in their nearest Calluna vulgaris (L.) hull thicket that cover large surroundings. areas persist almost exclusively in former mili- Some records of Lepidocyrtus tellecheae tary areas due to human activity (Adamska et al. Arbea & Jordana, 1990 and Isotoma caerulea 2015). The main factors responsible for that are Bourlet, 1839 come from another project, in trampling and the occurrence of accidental fires. which interstitial Collembola of sand dunes, After having been abandoned, this type of habi- heath and pine forest were compared. This pro- tats quickly undergoes natural succession. As ject was carried out in a nearby area heathlands highly contribute to local diversity, (N 51°2534, E 15°3916; UTM: WS49). We they are actively protected and some manage- collected soil-litter samples from the micro- ment methods are applied to prevent their disap- habitats mentioned above and extracted spring- pearance (Webb 1998). However, the outcomes tails in Tullgren (Barlese) funnels. In this part of of using these methods are different (Sedláková our study, there were a total of 312 samples, col- & Chytrý 1999). One of the management activi- lected during 8 field sessions between April 2015 ties is prescribed burn (Webb 1998, Ascolti et al. and March 2017. 2009). In the course of our study, it was applied Besides the two projects above, we list all the for the first time in Poland and we undertook a historic data of Seira dollfusi Carl, 1899 from the successive fauna survey that encompasses sev- contemporary territory of Poland (they come eral invertebrate groups. from the former Prussia). The aim of this article is to present and docu- For close inspections, the springtails were ment our findings of Collembola, supplement cleared in Nesbitts fluid and mounted on slides in data on the distribution of the five recorded a Barlese-Swans medium (Swan 1936). We took springtail species, summarize their habitat prefer- multi-layer pictures of their diagnostic features, ences and evaluate their prospective significance stacked them using the Helicon Focus 6.7.1. and as indicator species for heath or associated habi- prepared in Adobe Photoshop CS6. The spring- tats. tails were identified using a set of keys (Gisin 1960, Bretfeld 1999, Potapov 2001, Fjellberg 2. Materials and methods 2007, Mateos 2008, Cipola et al. 2018). All the records were compared with the current Polish We present data from two independent projects checklist of Collembola (Sterzyñska et al. 2007). carried out in closely situated heath areas. The ul- timate scope of the first of them which is still in progress is to examine the influence of pre- 3. The records scribed burn on invertebrate fauna of the heath. The plot is situated in the former training military 3.1. Bourletiella pistillum Gisin, 1964 area in the northern part of Lower Silesia (W Po- (Bourletiellidae) land; N 51°2801, E 15°4202; UTM: WT40). Three habitats were included in our study: a plot We recorded 82 specimens of B. pistillum only in of an old and compact thicket of Calluna vulgaris pitfall traps. It solely inhabits the plot where the 188 Furgo³ et al. ENTOMOL. FENNICA Vol. 30 Fig. 1. Bourletiella pistillum. – a. Dorsal male organ on abdomen VI. – b. Female circumanal setae. Lepidocyrtus tellecheae. – c. Macrochaetae (chaetopores) in anterodorsal part of head. – d. Simple apical labral setae and papillae of labral edge. – e. Acuminate unguiculus. – f. Chaetotaxy of abdomen II (ps: pseudopore, tr: trichobothria). – g. Macrochaetae (chaetopores) on abdomen IV (left side). Isotoma caerulea. – h. Bispinose manubrial teeth. – i. Macrochaetae on dorsal side of manubrium and basal part of dens. Pachyotoma topsenti. – j. Ventral side of dens and mucro. – k. Integument granulation (abdomen IV). Setal symbols a, c and i after Fjellberg (2007); f and g after Mateos (2008). ENTOMOL. FENNICA Vol. 30 Five springtail species in heathlands 189 Fig. 2. Pachyotoma topsenti. – a, b. Aggregations on sand. Seira dollfusi. – c. Colour pattern, dorsal view. prescribed burn was applied. The majority of the per trap in a single sampling period (i.e. three specimens occurred in a period between May and weeks). Lepidocyrtus tellecheae appeared in all October, however we have observed a male in a of the studied plots in the first of our projects, trap, which was exposed from mid-December to with the highest numbers in the burnt plot and the late January. area dominated by M. caerulea. In the other study The species is distinguished from the conge- it was present in a pine forest and in a heath on a ners by characteristic arrangement of setae on sand dune. Our data suggest that it might have a dorsal male organ on the sixth segment of abdo- winter activity peak the majority of the speci- men (Fig. 1a) and the presence of differentiated mens in pitfall traps were recorded between No- circumanal setae in females (Fig. 1b). vember and March nevertheless we observed it This species is new to the fauna of Poland. throughout the year. The species can be distinguished from the congeners by a pattern of macrochaetae on head 3.2. Lepidocyrtus tellecheae (R0, R1, R2; Fig. 1c), and simple labral setae Arbea & Jordana, 1990 (Entomobryidae) (Fig. 1d), macrochaeta m3 on the second segment of the abdomen (Fig. 1f), macrochaeta C1 on the Almost 7,000 specimens of L. tellecheae were fourth segment of the abdomen (Fig. 1g), and collected in pitfall traps and 34 specimens were acuminate unguiculus (Fig. 1e). found in soil-litter samples. The species is gregar- This is the first record of this species