Published in AgroLife Scientific Journal, Volume 8, Number 2
Written by Sherlij DUMALANG, Max TULUNG, Jantje PELEALU, Jootje WAROUW
Collembola are known as soil organisms living in various habitats. However, most of these arthropods can be found on the surface of the ground. Collembola are small animals, mostly only a few millimetres in length and not very popular despite their important role in the ecosystem, especially in the decomposition of organic soil materials. This study was conducted in two sections. The first phase was represented by obtaining soil sample in Tomohon, then extracting it using Berlese funnel, the second by identifying Collembola samples using molecular marker for DNA barcoding with COI gene. Of the four identified specimens, only two had good quality chromatogram (SD2 and SD3), while the rest of the specimens (SD1 and SD4) had poor quality of chromatogram. According to the BLAST result, the SD2 specimen has the highest similarity with Folsomia quadrioculata (accession number: KJI86295.1) with 83.00% of similarity. There is a genetic similarity of SD3 sample specimens with Collembola sp. (accession number: KM618794.1) with 85% of similarity. Molecular identification using the COI gene DNA barcoding for both specimens is considered a challenge due to the lack of information in the database. Collembola fauna in North Sulawesi is rarely explored, therefore this research is the basis for being able to find out its potential in the ecosystem where they live.
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