Microclimate and habitat heterogeneity as important drivers of soil Collembola in a karst collapse doline in the temperate zone

A decade-long study of Collembola communities in the karst collapse doline of Silická ľadnica Ice Cave, Slovakia, reveals that microclimate and habitat heterogeneity are key drivers of species distribution and resilience. Despite a regional trend of rising air temperatures and precipitation over 30 years, the collembolan communities remained stable, particularly at cold sites at the doline's bottom. No significant increase in xerothermophilous species or decline in psychrophilic, often endemic, species was observed, suggesting high community resilience. The study, conducted in 2007 and 2017, found significantly lower soil temperatures but higher abundances, species richness, and diversity during the latter period due to more favorable microclimatic conditions. Redundancy ordination analysis confirmed that soil temperature, pH, and C:N ratio were critical factors shaping community composition. These findings highlight karst dolines as potential refugia for biodiversity under global warming, emphasizing their conservation importance.

Marcin, M., Raschmanová, N., Miklisová, D., & Kováč, Ľ. (2021). Microclimate and habitat heterogeneity as important drivers of soil Collembola in a karst collapse doline in the temperate zone. Invertebrate Biology, 140(2). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ivb.12315