The vanishing volume of N = 1 superspace

We show that the supergeometry of the new minimal formulation of N = 1 supergravity is a limiting case of the non-minimal supergeometry for which the volume of superspace vanishes. The action for supergravity in this case is then no longer the superdeterminant of the vielbein but is analogous to a special form of the Fayet-Iliopoulos term allowed only for the new minimal supergeometry. We discuss the restrictions on matter couplings imposed by the new and non-minimal supergeometries.