Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown. Here, using a global dataset representing 2470 sites, we estimate the total soil springtail biomass at 27.5 megatons carbon, which is threefold higher than wild terrestrial vertebrates, and record peak densities up to 2 million individuals per square meter in the tundra. Despite a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, springtail energy use (community metabolism) remains similar across the latitudinal gradient, owing to the changes in temperature with latitude. Neither springtail density nor community metabolism is predicted by local species richness, which is high in the tropics, but comparably high in some temperate forests and even tundra. Changes in springtail activity may emerge from latitudinal gradients in temperature, predation and resource limitation in soil communities. Contrasting relationships of biomass, diversity and activity of springtail communities with temperature suggest that climate warming will alter fundamental soil biodiversity metrics in different directions, potentially restructuring terrestrial food webs and affecting soil functioning.

The available literature data on the species diversity and geographical distribution of Collembola in Canada and Alaska is summarized. In total, the checklist covers 541 named species of Collembola. This includes 475 species in 135 genera from 24 families recorded from Canada, as well as 241 species in 75 genera from 19 families reported from Alaska. For each species the current name, basionym with a full reference, records for different provinces and territories with their authorships, and general distributional ranges are given. Taxonomic remarks have been added when necessary. The checklist is based on 536 references (including 262 with Canadian records) published up to May 2018 and on a number of publicly available online resources.

The paper is devoted to a taxonomic revision of the genus Sensillonychiurus Pomorski et Sveenkova, 2006. Five new species of this genus, i.e. S. mirus sp. n., S. taimyrensis sp. n., S. vegae sp. n., S. vitimicus sp. n., and S. amuricus sp. n., as well as three new species of the related genus Allonychiurus Yoshii, 1995, i.e. A. subvolinensis sp. n., A. elikonius sp. n., and A. unisetosus sp. n. are being described from various regions of Eurasia. The diagnoses of both genera are amended to include described species. Two genera, Tantulonychiurus Pomorski, 1996 and Thibaudichiurus Weiner, 1996, are treated as junior synonyms of the genus Allonychiurus. Agraphorura eisi (Rusek, 1976) is transferred to Sensillonychiurus; Tantulonychiurus volinensis (Szeptycki, 1964) and T. asiaticus Babenko, 2007 to Allonychiurus. A review of morphological peculiarities of Sensillonychiurus is performed, comparisons with the other genera of Thalassaphorurini given, and a key to the known species provided

Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems1,2. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil animals regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs3-5. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown. Here, using a global dataset collected from 2,470 sites, we estimate total soil springtail biomass at 29 Mt carbon (threefold higher than wild terrestrial vertebrates6) and record peak densities up to 2 million individuals per m2 in the Arctic. Despite a 20-fold biomass difference between tundra and the tropics, springtail energy use (community metabolism) remains similar across the latitudinal gradient, owing to the increase in temperature. Neither springtail density nor community metabolism were predicted by local species richness, which was highest in the tropics, but comparably high in some temperate forests and even tundra. Changes in springtail activity may emerge from latitudinal gradients in temperature, predation7,8, and resource limitation7,9,10 in soil communities. Contrasting temperature responses of biomass, diversity and activity of springtail communities suggest that climate warming will alter fundamental soil biodiversity metrics in different directions, potentially restructuring terrestrial food webs and affecting major soil functions.

The catalogue assembles and updates all data concerning the type material of Collembola kept in the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids & Nematodes in Ottawa (CNC). Information is provided for type material of 69 species. Included are holotypes of 31 species (together with 5 ones from Cretaceous amber), syntypes of 26 species (four of them are presently considered to be junior synonyms) and paratypes of 32 species (one of which is considered a junior synonym). Essential label data, references to original descriptions, and modern status including synonyms are given.