A total of 7 species of Collembola: Orchesella bifasciata, Tomocerus f
lavescens, Dicyrtomina minuta, Hypogastrura purpurascens, Tetracanthel
la fjellbergi, Tetrodontophora bielanensis, and Onychiurus armatus wer
e analysed for presence and activity of digestive enzymes. Specific ch
romolytic substrata (S-Tests, Czech Republic) and enzymatic test Bio-L
achema-Test (Oxochrom glucose, Czech Republic) were used for determina
tion of enzymatic activities. The influence of rearing temperature on
enzymatic activity of T. bielanensis was also investigated. The follow
ing enzymes were established in the species under study: amylase (EC 3
.2.1.1), laminarinase (EC 3.2.1.6), xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8), lichenase (
EC 3.2.1.73), cellulase complex (exo- and endo-beta-1.4-glucanases), a
nd trehalase (EC 3.2.1.28). Whether the enzymes originated in gut tiss
ue or were produced by the intestinal microflora was not determined. I
n general, an examined springtail digested intensively starch, xylan,
and laminarin while lichenin, trehalose, and cellulose were likely com
plementary sources of energy. The differences among epigeont, hemiedap
hobiont, and euedaphobiont springtails were slight. T. bielanensis app
ears to be adapted to cold conditions by their enzymatic equipment, ha
ving higher enzymatic activity at a lower rearing temperature (6 degre
es C) than higher (10 and 16 degrees C).