Abundance and diversity of soil mites of fragmented habitats in a biosphere reserve in Southern Nigeria

Mosadoluwa Adetola Badejo,Buny Amin Ola-Adams

doi:10.1590/s0100-204x2000001100001

Mosadoluwa Adetola Badejo, Buny Amin Ola-Adams

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0100-204x2000001100001

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Abstract

Soil samples were collected from the top 7.5 cm of soil in a Strict Natural Reserve (SNR), a surrounding buffer zone, a cassava farm and matured plantations of Gmelina, teak, and pine, so as to determine if plantation establishment and intensive cultivation affect the density and diversity of soil mites. Altogether, 41 taxonomic groups of mites were identified. The diversity and densities of mites in within the SNR, the buffer zone and the Gmelina were more than the diversity and densities in the cassava farm, teak and pine plantations. Each plantation had its own unique community structure which was different from the community structure in the SNR plot. The SNR plot and Gmelina were dominated by detritivorous cryptostigmatid mites unlike teak and pine which were dominated by predatory mesostigmatid and prostigmatid mites respectively. Low cryptostigmatid mite densities in the plantations and cassava farm were seen as a consequence of low fertility status of the soil, the evidence of which was revealed by soil pH and organic matter data.

Highlights

Habitat fragmentation is associated with development, especially with the extension of various agricultural and silvicultural practices (Sgardelis &Accepted for publication on September 15, 2000. 2 Zoologist, Ph.D., Department of Zoology, Obafemi AwolowoUsher, 1994)
The Omo Biosphere Reserve in Nigeria is a fragmented habitat whose uniform agricultural landscape has been partitioned into a central Strict Natural Reserve (SNR), a buffer zone at the periphery of the SNR, many farm settlements and plantations of local and exotic trees
The mites were identified to family or generic levels using keys and illustrations provided in Baker & Wharton (1952), Evans et al (1967), Norton (1990) and Woolley (1990) as well as comparing them with those already identified in the Laboratory for Systematics and Ecology of Microarthropods in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Habitat fragmentation is associated with development, especially with the extension of various agricultural and silvicultural practices The Omo Biosphere Reserve in Nigeria is a fragmented habitat whose uniform agricultural landscape has been partitioned into a central Strict Natural Reserve (SNR), a buffer zone at the periphery of the SNR, many farm settlements and plantations of local and exotic trees. Each of these compartments are separated spatially either by footpaths, farm roads or hedgerows. The consequence of this is that each compartment has a more or less isolated soil microarthropod fauna, a phenomenon which increases the risk of local extinction due to deterministic, demographic, genetic or stochastic effects The aim of this study is to investigate the diversity of soil mite populations in the fragmented habitats in Omo Biosphere Reserve so as to test the hypothesis that plantation establishment as well as intensive cultivation affect the density and diversity of soil mites

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Extraction procedure

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS