Collembola of coniferous forests along gradient of air pollution: temporal series of the data (Komi Republic)

Study Extent

The dataset provides information on the number of individuals of springtail species in soil cores collected in pine and spruce forests located in the zone of influence of palp and paper industry.

Sampling

Sites of pine and spruce forests were situdied at different zones (impact, buffer and background) from the enteprise.Design of sampling was based on the regular arrangement. The material includes data collected before and after modernization of enteprise. Thus, the real changes in Collembola community can be estimated.

Quality Control

Different keys and particular taxonomis articles were used (Fjellberg, 1998, 2007; Potapov, 2001 and others). All specimens were identified to species by specialist from the Institute of Biology of Komi Scientific Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Method steps

1. In each site 10 soil samples were taken. Samples were taken to the full depth with division into two layers - litter and mineral horizons; in further analysis, the data on the layers were combined. Extraction was carried out according to the generally accepted method using Berlese – Tulgren funnels in 96% alcohol for 7–10 days - the time sufficient to achieve an air-dry soil state. Collembolans from the samples were sorted under a binocular microscope. All individuals were mounted in slides in Phoera liquid according to a standard procedure (Potapov et Kuznetsova, 2011).

1. Arthropoda
   rank: phylum
2. Collembola
   rank: order

The study was carried out in the area of ​​JSC "Mondi SLPK", which is the largest pulp and paper industry in the European part of Russia. At the same time "Mondi SLPK" is also a source of industrial emissions into the air basin of various pollutants. It has been operating since 1964, the main pollutants of which are oxides of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, and mineral dust (Torlopova and Robakidze, 2012). According to the company's public environmental reports, the total amount of emissions in 1999 was 31, in 2006 - 20, and in 2015 - 10 thousand tons (Robakidze, Torlopova, 2018).