Edge effects and arboreal Collembola in coniferous plantations

SummaryWe report on the distribution of arboreal Collembola in relation to canopy microclimatic conditions and distance from a forest edge. Collembola were collected by pyrethrum misting from the canopy of 12 m commercial plantations of Pinus sylvestris and Picea sitchensis at two sites in northern England, using transects running perpendicularly from a sharp edge (against open moorland). Temperature and humidity were co-recorded at 1.5 m elevation. Eleven species of Collembola were recorded, dominated by four known to be arboreal (Entomobrya nivalis, Lepidocyrtus lanuginosus, Vertagopus arboreus and Anurophorus laricis) but also including small numbers of supposedly edaphic forms, notably Protaphorura armata. All species were at higher density in the P. sitchensis plantations, but otherwise displayed no consistent community structure. Only four significant edge effects were detected in the Collembola data (out of 60 tests), none of which fitted an exponential model. By contrast the majority of the micro-meteorological data showed significant edge effects which were well modelled by an exponential function. It is concluded that the distribution of arboreal Collembola showed no edge effects, despite the latter being detectable in their meteorological environment.