Arash Bakhshi - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Crop Sciences, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources(SANRU), Mazandaran province, Iran
Masoumeh Shayanmehr - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Crop Sciences, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources(SANRU), Mazandaran province, Iran
Eliye Yahyapour - Graduated Islamic Azad University, Arak branch, Agricultural Faculty, Entomology Department, P.O. Box ۳۸۱۳۵/۵۶۷, Arak, Iran
Mahmood Mohamadi Sharif - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Crop Sciences, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources(SANRU), Mazandaran province, Iran

Soil is a complex environment colonized by an extreme diversity of organisms. Soil organisms collectively referred to as soil biota include soil viruses, bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, mites, Collembola and other microarthropods. One of the most important soil biota are Collembola which are present in large numbers in virtually any soil. The springtails are widespread small to tiny arthropods in soil ecosystem. They play important roles in the circulation of soil materials, development of soil, formation of soil micro-structure, improvement of soil physical and chemical properties, and the maintenance of soil living community. The diversity, community structure, and species composition of springtails in the soil reflect the status of soil quality and contamination The main effect of Collembola on decomposition and “soil respiration” is through feeding on fungal hyphae. At certain densities of Collembola, grazing of mycorrhizae on roots can stimulate growth of the symbiont and improve plant growth. In other situations, Collembola may reduce disease by consuming pest fungi. Selective grazing by springtails may be an important factor limiting the distribution of certain species of basidiomycete fungi in the field. However, many of these effects are density-dependent, and too little information is available for quantifying accurately the specific contribution of Collembola to “indirect” or “catalytic” decomposition. Nevertheless, the influence of springtails on decomposition and nutrient availability must be significant in many ecosystems To extend fauinistic investigations on Iranian Collembola, several samplings from leaf litter and soil in different localities were collected in the Hezarjirib forests of Neka in Mazandaran province, during ۲۰۲۰-۲۰۲۱. The samples were extracted by Berlise funnel and springtails specimens were identified by taxonomic keys. Results showed ۱۰ species belongs to seven genera and four families.

Hezarjirib, Collembola, new record, Mazandaran