ACTIVITY OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES IN 7 SPECIES OF COLLEMBOLA (INSECTA, ENTOGNATHA)

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).