title: Effects of starvation and body mass on drought tolerance in the soil collembolan Folsomia candida.
abstract: The effects of starvation and body mass on drought tolerance in Folsomia candida were investigated. Starvation for up to 6 weeks did not reduce tolerance to drought (98.2% RH) compared to a nonstarved control group. Animals starved for 1, 2 or 6 weeks prior to drought exposure showed no systematic differences in the accumulation of sugars and polyols (SP). In all groups exposed to drought SP constituted 9-13% of dry weight and was distributed in myoinositol, glucose and a third unidentified compound. At 97.3% RH large individuals (9 weeks old) survived better than small individuals (2 or 3 weeks old). However, no correlation was found between body mass and drought tolerance at relative humidities above 97.3% RH. The results suggest that starvation for ecologically relevant periods of time does not impair the ability to produce desiccation-protective SP in F. candida, and that both small and large life stages are well adapted to dry soil conditions.
authors.affiliation: National Environmental Research Institute, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Vejlsøvej 25, PO Box 314, DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hilligsøe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holmstrup
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004190:Disasters; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006813:Humidity; D012987:Soil; D013217:Starvation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012987:Soil