A comparative study of winter survival in two temperate collembola
Van Der Woude, H.A.; Verhoef, H.A.
Ecological Entomology 11(3): 333-340
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0307-6946 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1986.tb00310.x
Accession: 004559800
We studied winter survival of two temperature collembolan species, Orchesella cincta (L.) and Tomocerus minor (Lubbock), that overwinter in adult and juvenile life stages. 2. A significant seasonal variation in cold hardiness, measured as lethal temperature after 24 h exposure, was found for both species. There was no difference between juveniles and adults in cold hardiness. O. cincta was more cold tolerant than T. minor. 3. A group of high and a group of low values for lethal temperatures could be distinguished. 4. Frost periods induced gut evacuation in O. cincta, but not in T. minor. 5. During frost periods no extra winter mortality was found in T. minor. This species moved down the soil profile as a response to a frost period without snow cover. 6. The winter mortality of O. cincta was difficult to estimate, since part of the population remained above ground in trees and escaped from sampling. The smallest size classes, which are restricted to the litter, had a lower winter mortality than T. minor.
