Inkeri Markkula

Springtails are an abundant and diverse, yet poorly known group of soil fauna. This project aims to create DNA-barcode library for Finnish springtails (250 species), and to maintain taxonomic proficiency by creating photo-, and permanent slide library to be used in biomonitoring and species inventories. New knowledge of the diversity of springtails in ecosystem, species and genetic levels is generated, which helps to estimate species’ abundances, distribution and endangeredness.