Collembola have significant influences on soil microorganisms and fertility but information on these ecologically important arthropods is lacking, especially in agricultural and tropical environments. This research was conducted to identify Collembola species present in the soil of papaya orchards in Espírito Santo, Brazil, and to compare the effect of conventional and integrated production on Collembola in this Neotropical environment. Soil samples (4.8 cm diameter, 10 cm deep) were collected in February, May, August and November 2003, from papaya orchards managed with conventional production (including pesticide application based on little or no pest monitoring or consideration of environmental impact) and integrated production (including selective pesticide application only when necessary based on regular pest monitoring) in one experimental site with three treatments (conventional; integrated with drip irrigation; integrated with microsprinkler irrigation) and four commercial orchards (two with conventional and two with integrated production). Berlese-Tullgren funnels were used to extract Collembola from the soil samples. Averaged over the sampling dates, collembolan densities of the orchards ranged from 14023 to 56001 Collembola per m². In the experimental site, the species Willemia brevispina, Folsomina cf. onychiurina, Folsomides cf. centralis, Folsomides parvulus, Cyphoderus cf. similis, and Neelus cf. minimus were more abundant with integrated versus conventional production. However, this difference was not apparent in commercial orchards sampled. Results indicate that relatively high populations and diverse communities of Collembola occur in the soil of papaya orchards in Espírito Santo but no collembolan species were found to be consistent biological indicators of conventional or integrated production. The species Acherontiella colotlipana, Willemia brevispina, Brachystomella agrosa, Friesea sublimis, Pseudostachia sp.1, Mesaphorura amazonica, Arlea sp.1, Salina sp.1, and Sphaeridia cf. pumilis are new records for the state of Espírito Santo, and Acherontiella colotlipana and Friesea sublimes, are new records for Brazil.
Collembola; Carica papaya; biodiversity; Espírito Santo; Brazil
