Food consumption by Collembola from northern Michigan deciduous forest

The present study was designed to assess food partitioning mechanisms in Collembola. Isotoma notabilis, Sminthurinus henshawi and Orchesella hexfasciata were dominant litter-dwelling Collembola in northern Michigan deciduous forests. Little overlap in mouthpart size occurred between species. Isotoma notabilis had the shortest mandible and labrum, O. hexfasciata the longest, whereas S. henshawi was intermediate. Gut content analysis showed that these species fed on different food types and selected different size food particles. Selection of food particle size was related to mouthpart size. Gut contents were categorized as fungal hyphae and spores, plant material and pollen, animal remains, colloidal materials, minerals and bacteria. Fungal hyphae and colloidal material were most abundant in the gut of L. notabilis, while S. henshawi fed heavily on fungal spores, and O. hexfasciata incorporated diversified foods in its diet. Type and size of food ingested were found to be species-specific. All species showed variation in dietary components related to seasonal availability of food in the field.