Informatics Publishing Limited

Dhrubajyoti Pahari ¹, Ashis Kumar Hazra ¹, Goutam Kumar Saha ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN
2 Dept. of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, IN

Abstract

Despite the environmental importance of Collembola, basic information on the occurrence and ecology of these soil micro-arthropods is lacking, especially in Darjeeling Himalaya. To address such gaps the present research was conducted with objectives to determine what Collembola species inhabit the soil of two different altitudinal sites of Darjeeling Himalaya as well as their vertical distribution and seasonal variations. Altogether 22 species of Collembola belonging to three families were recorded from the hilltop and foothill sites of the Darjeeling Himalaya. The maximum number of collembolan species was found in foothill site (20 species) than in the hilltop site (10 species) of Darjeeling Himalaya. The population density of Collembola marked a significant decrease from upper most layers to deeper layers of soil. The highest collembolan density was recorded during the spring season in both the sites but lowest density was recorded during summer at Hilltop site and during autumn at Foothill site of Darjeeling Himalaya.

Keywords

Collembola, Species Composition, Vertical Distribution, Seasonal Variation, Hilltop, Foothill, Darjeeling Himalaya.

Full Text

     

Srimoyee Basu ¹, G. Thirumalai ¹, K. A. Subramanian ¹, Goutam Kumar Saha ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN
2 Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata-700019, IN

Abstract

The aquatic and semi-aquatic Heteroptera under the Infraorder Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha are distributed in almost all kinds of ecological niches with diverse climatic conditions, including both marine and freshwater habitats. They are the important components of freshwater ecosystem as they play a major role in the food web of this particular ecosystem. Globally, among the 17 major families of aquatic Heteroptera, 16 families comprising of 79 genera and 292 species are represented in India.

Full Text