Collembola - Springtails
Interesting facts about Collembola
Springtails owe their German name (Springschwänze) to their ability to jump. The furcula, along with the locking mechanism that enables jumping, can be reduced depending on the group and their adaptation to life in the soil. As another group of litter decomposers, they play a significant role among soil inhabitants despite their small size, which typically ranges from 1 to 9 mm, due to their high population density. For ecological research, they have already proven to be excellent indicator organisms for soil quality. In the BIOMES project, they are also used as another important pillar for assessing various soil types, with the aim of establishing a basis for nationwide soil monitoring in Austria in the future.