TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF COLLEMBOLA IN A PATCHY ENVIRONMENT

The temporal and spatial distribution of collembolans in a grazed maquis formation was studied. The seasonality of the mediterranean climate determines the temporal pattern of the collembolan community in the study area, while the main spatial gradient, along which the community is ordinated, is from open to sheltered microhabitats. The vegetation structure, resulting from grazing pressure, determines the spatial distribution of the collembolan species, mainly through its effect on the microenvironmental conditions of the habitat.