Predatory mite instars (Acari, Mesostigmata) and decomposing tree leaves in mixed and monoculture stands growing on a spoil heap and surrounding forests

Cezary K Urbanowski,Maciej Skorupski,Andrzej M Jagodziński,Jacek Kamczyc,Paweł Horodecki

doi:10.1007/s10493-021-00646-y

Cezary K Urbanowski, Maciej Skorupski + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00646-y

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Abstract

In the past, ecological research mainly omitted the sexual and developmental variability of mite communities, and therefore could not fully reflect the actual state and function of mite communities in the ecosystems studied. The aim here was to analyze how habitat conditions (mixed vs. monoculture stands) and single-species litter of 14 tree species (in mixed stands) affect the sex and developmental stages of Mesostigmata mites living on the decomposing litter. The research was conducted in 2011–2016, at the Bełchatów Lignite Mine external spoil heap (Central Poland) in mixed stands growing on the spoil heap, as well as in pine and birch monoculture stands growing on the spoil heap and an adjacent forest area. We found significant influences of habitat on females, males and juveniles. Additionally, we found that soil mean temperature had a significant effect on males and juveniles, but not on females. Moreover, despite the insignificant influence of litter species on mite communities, we found that percentage litter mass loss significantly affected female and juvenile mites. Taking into account habitat type, the percentage litter mass loss significantly affected female and male mites, but not juveniles. The mite abundance calculated per dry litter mass usually gradually increased during decomposition. Interestingly, the highest mean female, male and juvenile abundances were recorded in birch stands growing on the adjacent forest area; however, juvenile mites were also very numerous in mixed stands on spoil heap. Therefore, our results confirm that mixed stands on post-mining areas are a potentially better habitat for development of mesostigmatid communities compared to monocultures, among others by relatively higher humidity and lower temperatures.

Highlights

The decomposition process, the physicochemical breakdown of organic plant matter, is one of the most important processes occurring in nature (Field et al 1998; Schulze 2000; Graca et al 2005; Berg and McClaugherty 2014; Eisenhauer et al 2017; Fujii and Takeda 2017)
For each developmental stage we found that habitat type significantly affected mite assemblages
We found a significant influence of habitat type on gamasid mite assemblages of females, males and juvenile mites

Summary

Introduction

The decomposition process, the physicochemical breakdown of organic plant matter, is one of the most important processes occurring in nature (Field et al 1998; Schulze 2000; Graca et al 2005; Berg and McClaugherty 2014; Eisenhauer et al 2017; Fujii and Takeda 2017). Decomposition is regulated by many natural factors, including habitat conditions (Horodecki and Jagodziński 2019) and soil organisms (Urbanowski et al 2018, 2021; Horodecki et al 2019), and it still requires more scientific attention on habitats transformed by anthropogenic activity (Berg and McClaugherty 2014; Eisenhauer et al 2017; Horodecki et al 2019). Their community structure, due to high abundance, high susceptibility to environmental factors and occupation of higher trophic levels, makes them valuable bioindicators (Madej 2004; Beaulieu and Weeks 2007; Skorupski et al 2013)

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