Browsing by Author "Bedos, Anne"

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    The genus Ectonura Cassagnau, 1980 in South Africa (Collembola, Neanuridae, Neanurinae), with a key to South African Neanurinae
    (Pensoft, 2011-10) Janion, Charlene; Bedos, Anne; Deharveng, Louis
    Two new species of Neanurinae (Collembola) are described from the Western Cape, South Africa: Ectonura monochaeta sp. n. and Ectonura barrai sp. n. E. monochaeta sp. n. differs from other species in the genus by its strongly reduced chaetotaxy, and the lateral shift of dorso-internal chaetae on Abd. V and their integration in the tubercles (De+DL). E. barrai sp. n. is similar to E. natalensis (Womersley, 1934), but differs in chaetotaxic details and chaetal group arrangement. A key to the seven species of Neanurinae recorded from South Africa is given.
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    Springtail diversity in South Africa
    (Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2011-11) Janion, Charlene; Bedos, Anne; Bengtsson, Jan; Deharveng, Louis; Janse Van Vuuren, Bettine; Leinaas, Hans Petter; Liu, Amy; Malmstrom, Anna; Porco, David; Chown, Steven L.
    Despite their significance in soil ecosystems and their use for investigations of soil ecosystem functioning and in bioindication elsewhere, springtails (Collembola) have not been well investigated in South Africa. Early recognition of their role in soil systems and sporadic systematic work has essentially characterised knowledge of the southern African fauna for some time. The situation is now changing as a consequence of systematic and ecological work on springtails. To date this research has focused mostly on the Cape Floristic Region and has revealed a much more diverse springtail fauna than previously known (136 identifiable species and an estimated 300 species for the Cape Floristic Region in total), including radiations in genera such as the isotomid Cryptopygus. Quantitative ecological work has shown that alpha diversity can be estimated readily and that the group may be useful for demonstrating land use impacts on soil biodiversity. Moreover, this ecological work has revealed that some disturbed sites, such as those dominated by Galenia africana, may be dominated by invasive springtail species. Investigation of the soil fauna involved in decomposition in Renosterveld and Fynbos has also revealed that biological decomposition has likely been underestimated in these vegetation types, and that the role of fire as the presumed predominant source of nutrient return to the soil may have to be re-examined. Ongoing research on the springtails will provide the information necessary for understanding and conserving soils: one of southern Africa’s major natural assets.
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    Updated list of Collembola species currently recorded from South Africa
    (Pensoft, 2015-05) Janion-Scheepers, Charlene; Deharveng, Louis; Bedos, Anne; Chown, Steven L.
    Understanding the abundance and richness of species is one of the most fundamental steps in effecting their conservation. Despite global recognition of the significance of the below-ground component of diversity for ecosystem functioning, the soil remains a poorly studied terrestrial ecosystem. In South Africa, knowledge is increasing for a variety of soil faunal groups, but many still remain poorly understood. We have started to address this gap in the knowledge of South African soil biodiversity by focusing on the Collembola in an integrated project that encompasses systematics, barcoding and ecological assessments. Here we provide an updated list of the Collembola species from South Africa. A total of 124 species from 61 genera and 17 families has been recorded, of which 75 are considered endemic, 24 widespread, and 25 introduced. This total number of species excludes the 36 species we consider to be dubious. From the published data, Collembola species richness is high compared to other African countries, but low compared to European countries. This is largely a consequence of poor sampling in the African region, as our discovery of many new species in South Africa demonstrates. Our analyses also show that much ongoing work will be required before a reasonably comprehensive and spatially explicit picture of South Africa’s springtail fauna can be provided, which may well exceed 1000 species. Such work will be necessary to help South Africa meet its commitments to biodiversity conservation, especially in the context of the 2020 Aichi targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity.