Survey of Seira Lubbock, 1870 (Collembola, Entomobryidae, Seirinae) from Phaltan tehsil, Maharashtra, India and Its Correlation with Soil Chemical Composition.

Collembola has special importance, as mesofauna found in the soil, in mineral cycling, fungal spore transfer and soil structure formation. Present study deals with the diversity and abundance of Collembola with chemical soil properties. Collembola samples were captured from soils of the 10 selected study areas of Phaltan tehsil, Maharashtra state of India, during year 2023, by using Berlese funnel method. A correlation of the Collembola abundance and diversity with soil chemical properties such as, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K) was studied. From this study, the Collembola of the genus Seira was found in abundance in the soil having potassium content in the range of 180‒300 wt%.