Bezkrovna O. Springtails (Entognatha: Collembola) as a component of forest ecosystems in the central part of Ukraine

The presented work deals with specific composition, ecological features, and population dynamics of springtail communities in both natural and human-altered forest ecosystems in the central part of Ukraine, covering 110 species. The proportion in an ecosystem of certain biomorphs and species grouped by moisture requirements, is indicative of the humidity level in plant association. We tested six types of land recultivation, and identified an optimal type in which a mixture of loess and humus was added. In another sample site where soil structure has been altered but radioactivity levels remained low, the population structure was visibly destroyed. Springtails can be used for bioindication of the soil content of copper, nickel and lead, but not cadmium, manganese, ferrum or zinc. It has been shown that, as is evident in multispecies dominant complexes, several species could dominate simultaneously. Remarkably, such co-dominating species often belonged to different biomorphs and ecological groups, and species associated in one complex were never antagonists in any other. It leads to ecological niches differentiation.