Quality of Edaphic Factors As An Index to Collembolan Diversity in Foot Hills of Himalaya Bisht B.S. Department of Zoology/Entomology, HNB Garhwal University, Tehri 249 199, India. Abstract In the Alaknanda valley of Garhwal, collembolan population exhibit remarkable micro-niche variations. Of the twenty six species of collembola recorded in the valley, Hypogastrura sp., Onychiurus sp., Lobella sp., Cryptopygus thermophilla, Folsomides parvulus, Isotomurus sp., Sminthurus sp., were most common at all altitudinal levels viz., river bank, ground level and hill top. Out of three different altitudes, some species were common at two levels viz., Entomobrya sp., Seira sp., in river bank and ground level and Seira indica at ground level and hill top. Some of the genera/species were not only found low in abundance but also irregular in its distribution pattern. Habitat selection of the different species was dependent on the soil - organic carbon, calcium carbonate, phosphorus, moisture, porosity, coarse sand, fine sand and clay. Top Key words Collembolan, Edaphic factors, Hills of Himalaya. Top |