The presence of species endemic to a given region (i.e. species that exist only in that region and nowhere else) has the capacity to transcend the vision of the citizens of that region, towards the objective of safeguarding the natural heritage. These endemic species, however discreet they may be, become umbrella species in the same way as the panda in China, helping to protect habitats and, at the same time, all the species associated with them.
This project is aimed at discovering new species in a faunal group with an extraordinary potential for diversity, but which has been little studied until now, the Collembola. The actual diversity of Collembola species is thought to be several dozen times greater than that currently described, and their diversity in the Alps is largely understudied.
Project partner(s)
Project leader - team
Charlène Heiniger
(HEPIA)