Oribatid Mite Community Structure Research Articles

Soil oribatid mite community structure and its relationship with environmental factors in different agricultural land-use types in Shibing Karst

The karst world natural heritage site is characterized by fragility due to severe rocky desertification. Buffer zone functions as the ecological barrier of the core area of the heritage site, and can play an ecological filtering role in the core area. Therefore, buffer zones are of great ecological significance. In order to reveal the community characteristics of soil oribatid mites in different agricultural land-use in the buffer zone of Shibing Karst World Natural Heritage and their relationship with environmental factors, soil oribatid mites in the buffer zone of corn field (CF), golden pear garden (GP) and tobacco field (TF) were collected in September 2021. A total of 1220 oribatid mites belonging to 79 genera and 41 families were found in the study. Our key results include (1) The family number, genus number, individual number, and individual density of GP are higher (2) Scheloribates is the dominant group, 22 genera such as Oppiella, Tectocepheus, and Xylobates are common groups, and 56 genera such as Neoribates and Protoribates are rare groups. (3) The Diversity index of GP is higher than that of other cultivated land types. Community similarity analysis shows that the similarity between GP and CF is high, but all habitats are at a medium level of dissimilarity. (4) Analysis of the ecological group of oribatid mites shows that Poronota is more abundant than Macropylina and Gymnonota. (5) The Diversity index, richness index, family and genus level of oribatid mites were significantly positively correlated with soil humidity (SH) and the number of genera, individuals and individual density were significantly positively correlated with total phosphorus (TP). Redundancy analysis indicates that total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), and soil organic matter (SOM) are the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of soil oribatid mites communities. Based on the above research results, it can be seen that there are differences in the community structure of soil oribatid mites in different agricultural land-use in the study area. The use of dominant genera of mites can preliminarily indicate the soil ecological environment of different agricultural land-use. The research results provide basic data for the biodiversity protection of soil animals in different agricultural land-use in the buffer zone of Shibing Karst World Natural Heritage.

Differences of oribatid mite community and trophic structure between karst caves and surface different moss habitats.

In order to reveal the community characteristics and trophic structure of oribatid mites in different moss habitats in karst caves, the oribatid mites in the moss habitats of ground (GD), understory (US), cave wall (CW), surface shrub (SB) and farmland (FL) outside the cave were collected in October 2021. Through the identification and data analysis of oribatid mites, 2352 oribatid mites were found, belonging to 45 families and 72 genera, most of which were Gymnonota. The family number, genus number, individual number, individual density, dominant genus composition, community diversity, community similarity, MGP (Analysis methods for ecological groups of oribatid mites) ecological group of oribatid mites and trophic structure of oribatid mites in different moss were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) The number of families, genera, individuals, and individual density of SB and FL are higher than those of the other three habitats; (2) Platyliodes, Oppiella, Tectocepheus, Scutovertex, Scheloribates and Trichogalumna are the dominant genera of the oribatid mites in the cave moss habitat, among them, Tectocepheus and Trichogaluna have the most obvious advantages; (3) The diversity index of shrub (SB) was higher than that of other four habitats; Similarity between ground and cave wall, shrub and farmland is high; (4) The MGP ecological group of oribatid mites in different habitats is dominated by O type (Overall type belongs to MGP analysis results, 20%≤M,G,P≤50%), and a total of 42 genera of oribatid mites preliminarily constitute the trophic structure of oribatid mites in the cave moss habitat. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that there are differences in the community structure of oribatid mites in different moss habitats in the study area, and the use of dominant genera of mites can preliminarily indicate the environmental conditions of different moss habitats. This study enriches the study of mites in karst cave mosses, and can provide theoretical significance for the protection of cave biodiversity in karst areas.

Changes in oribatid mite community structure along two altitudinal gradients in Asia and Europe as related to environmental factors

Changes in biodiversity patterns along environmental gradients are receiving increased interest in context of climate change. Altitudinal changes in the diversity of plants and above ground animals are well studied, whereas soil animals received little attention. Here, we analyzed the patterns of diversity, community structure and reproductive mode of soil-living oribatid mites along an altitudinal gradient at two mountain ranges in Eurasia (Changbai Mountain in China and the Alps in Europe) at similar latitudes and their potentially driving factors. We hypothesized that oribatid mite species richness, abundance and the frequency of parthenogenesis decrease with altitude, i.e. with abiotic conditions becoming more adverse. In addition, we hypothesized oribatid mite community composition to change with increasing altitude with the communities at high altitudes becoming more similar between the two mountain ranges. Moreover, we hypothesized that at the community level parthenogenetic reproduction is becoming less important at higher altitudes. Species abundance and richness on Changbai Mountain were generally lower than in the Alps. Abundance as well as species richness in the Alps decreased with altitude, whereas it did not change significantly on Changbai Mountain. Oribatid mite community composition differed between the two mountains, but remained more similar across altitudes on Changbai Mountain than in the Alps. The percentage of parthenogenetic individuals and species was higher on Changbai Mountain than in the Alps, but did not change with altitude at both mountains. Almost all species that overlapped between the two mountains reproduced via parthenogenesis. The observed differences were mainly due to larger temperature fluctuations and more severe frost on Changbai Mountain compared with the Alps. High frequency of parthenogenetic reproduction in species overlapping between the two mountains suggests that parthenogenetic taxa, typically characterized by generalistic genotypes, tend to have broader distribution ranges than sexual taxa.

Dispersal patterns of oribatid mites across habitats and seasons

Oribatid mites are tiny arthropods that are common in all soils of the world; however, they also occur in microhabitats above the soil such as lichens, mosses, on the bark of trees and in suspended soils. For understanding oribatid mite community structure, it is important to know whether they are dispersal limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of oribatid mite dispersal using Malaise traps to exclude sole passive wind-dispersal. Oribatid mite communities were collected over a 3-year period from five habitat types (coniferous forests, deciduous forests, mixed forests, meadows, bog/heathlands sites) and three seasons (spring, summer, autumn) in Sweden. Mites entered traps either by walking or by phoresy, i.e., by being attached to flying insects. We hypothesized (1) that oribatid mite communities in the traps differ between habitats, indicating habitat-limited dispersal, and (2) that oribatid mite communities differ among seasons suggesting that dispersal varies due to changing environmental conditions such as moisture or resource availability. The majority of the collected species were not typically soil-living species but rather from habitats such as trees, lichens and mosses (e.g., Carabodes labyrinthicus, Cymbaeremaeus cymba, Diapterobates humeralis and Phauloppia lucorum) indicating that walking into the traps or entering them via phoresy are of greater importance for aboveground than for soil-living species. Overall, oribatid mite communities collected in the traps likely originated from the surrounding local habitat suggesting that long distance dispersal of oribatid mites is scarce. Significant differences among seasons indicate higher dispersal during warm and dry periods of the year. Notably, 16 species of oribatid mites collected in our study were sampled for the first time in Sweden. This study also demonstrates that Malaise traps are a meaningful tool to investigate spatial and temporal patterns of oribatid mite communities.

The composition of the community structure of oribatid mites in subtropical forests of different tree species: A case study of Xingangshan, Jiangxi Province

The composition of the community structure of oribatid mites in subtropical forests of different tree species: A case study of Xingangshan, Jiangxi Province

Changes in Oribatid Mite Community Structure Along Two Altitudinal Gradients in Asia and Europe as Related to Environmental Factors

Changes in Oribatid Mite Community Structure Along Two Altitudinal Gradients in Asia and Europe as Related to Environmental Factors

Conversion of Andean montane forests into plantations: Effects on soil characteristics, microorganisms, and microarthropods

AbstractTropical montane forests in the Andes are subjected to deforestation and subsequent transformation into pastures. Abandoned pastures are frequently reforested by planting monoculture timber plantations, resulting in reduced aboveground diversity and changes in soil characteristics compared to primary forests. In this study, we evaluated differences in soil properties (litter layer thickness, pH, water content, and C‐to‐N ratio) between degraded primary montane forest and monoculture pine (Pinus patula) and alder (Alnus acuminata) plantations and their effects on density, diversity, and community structure of litter and soil‐living mesofauna, with focus on oribatid mites (Acariformes). The study was performed in a montane region in the southern Ecuadorian Andes (2,000–2,600 m a.s.l.). C‐to‐N ratios in the litter and upper 5 cm soil layer were higher in pine plantations, while other soil characteristics were similar between vegetation types. Surprisingly, microbial biomass and density of soil mesofauna in the litter layer did not differ between vegetation types, while density and species richness of oribatid mites were higher in pine plantations. Community structure of oribatid mites differed between vegetation types with only a few species overlapping. The results indicate that quality and diversity of litter were not the major factors regulating the mesofauna community. Instead, soil animals benefited from increased habitat structure in thicker litter layers and potentially increased availability of root‐derived resources. Overall, the results suggest that from a soil animal perspective, monoculture plantations are less detrimental than commonly assumed and enrichment of abandoned plantations with native tree species may help to restore tropical montane forests.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Influence of plants on soil mites (Acari, Oribatida) in gardens

Influence of plants on soil mites (Acari, Oribatida) in gardens

Effects of root and leaf litter identity and diversity on oribatid mite abundance, species richness and community composition.

Habitat heterogeneity is an important driver of aboveground species diversity but few studies have investigated effects on soil communities. Trees shape their surrounding by both leaf litter and roots generating small scale heterogeneity and potentially governing community patterns of soil organisms. To assess the role of vegetation for the soil fauna, we studied whether tree species (Fagus sylvatica L., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Tilia cordata Mill.), markedly differing in leaf litter quality and root associated mycorrhizal symbionts, affect oribatid mite communities by shaping below- and aboveground resources and habitat complexity and availability. Oribatid mite abundance, species richness, community structure and the proportion of litter living and parthenogenetic individuals were analyzed and related to microbial biomass and the amount of remaining litter mass. Although leaf litter species with higher nutritional values decomposed considerably faster, microbial biomass only slightly differed between leaf litter species. Neither root species nor leaf litter species affected abundance, species richness or community structure of oribatid mites. However, root species had an effect on the proportion of parthenogenetic individuals with increased proportions in the presence of beech roots. Overall, the results suggest that identity and diversity of vegetation via leaf litter or roots are of minor importance for structuring oribatid mite communities of a temperate forest ecosystem.

Effect of ploughing and pesticide application on oribatid mite communities

ABSTRACTThe impact of conventional pesticide treatment and deep ploughing on oribatid mite communities was investigated in an abandoned arable land. The experimental plots were divided in “pesticide and ploughed” (PPL), “ploughed” (PL) and a“ meadow” as control (Ctr). Soil samples were taken monthly during the vegetation period (March-August) and once in three months (October and January) in a period without vegetation. Seventy-seven species of oribatid mites were determined. Species numbers were highest in Ctr (55 species), lower in PPL (53) and lowest in PL (41). Oribatid communities were dominated by sexually reproducing Brachypylina. Some of the generally frequent parthenogenetic species (e.g. Acrotritia ardua and Oppiella nova) were rare at the Ctr sites while stress-tolerant species (both, sexual and asexual, e.g. Protoribates capucinus, Punctoribates punctum, Ramusella clavipectinata, Tectocepheus velatus) were dominant. Pesticide application did not show any effect on oribatid mite community beyond the ploughing, whereas some species like P. capucinus, P. punctum, R. clavipectinata and T. velatus reached high abundances at PPL sites. Community structure of oribatid mites did not change significantly compared with Ctr sites, suggesting that the study area is inhabited by stress tolerant oribatid communities shaped by past agricultural disturbance.

The impact of different urban conditions on structural characteristics of oribatid mite communities

Changes in the structure of oribatid mite communities were studied at six urban sites located in Bratislava, Slovakia (Central Europe). These differed in pattern and in the intensity of human impact. Soil samples were taken from each site at monthly intervals for a period of two years. A total of 139 species were identified, of which 64.8% occurred at the control site. Low numbers of species (18–26 spp.) were found at sites characterized by high anthropogenic pressure. The percentage of oribatid mites in acarocoenoses declined (in favour of other mite groups) at sites altered from their original biotope and influenced by permanent human intervention (from 70% to less than 25%). The highest abundance of mites (976.9 ind./dm2) was recorded at an urban site, where the oribatid mite percentage was only 21.2%. Species typical of wet forest and meadow habitats were found at sites with suburban and ruderal characteristics, where vegetation cover attenuates the heat island effect, whereas mainly xerothermophilous and eurypotent species formed oribatocoenoses in urban sites. Urban conditions resulted in distinctly lower values of diversity, species richness, and equitability. The species Epilohmannia cylindrica, Microppia minus, Oribatula tibialis, Protoribates capucinus, Rhysotritia ardua and Ramusella insculpta common in the European cities were recorded also in this study.

Seasonal fluctuation of oribatid mite communities in forest microhabitats.

Oribatid mites are abundant and diverse decomposers in almost all terrestrial microhabitats, especially in temperate forests. Although their functional importance in the decomposition system in these forests has been investigated, spatio-temporal patterns of oribatid mite communities inhabiting different microhabitats have largely been neglected. Therefore, we (i) investigated seasonal fluctuation (monthly over one year) in oribatid-mite community structure and specificity to three microhabitats (moss, dead wood and litter) and (ii) analyzed the influence of air temperature and overall air humidity on seasonal community changes. In total, 57,398 adult oribatid mite individuals were collected. Total abundance, species richness and diversity differed among microhabitats. Seasonal changes were most pronounced in moss and least in litter. While overall air humidity had no influence on species distribution and community changes, air temperature positively influenced species richness and diversity, again most pronounced in moss. The calculated environmental temperature occurrence niche showed that 35% of adult oribatid mite species occurred at higher air temperatures. Furthermore, interaction/bipartite networks were more generalized—i.e., species were more equally distributed among moss, dead wood and litter—when ambient air temperatures were higher. This pattern is probably due to the dispersal ability of adult oribatid mites, i.e., species enter a dispersal mode only at higher air temperatures.

Response of oribatid mites to reforestation of degraded tropical montane pastureland

Tropical montane forests are being turned into pastures for cattle at an unprecedented rate. However, efforts are being made to reforest pastures in particular if invaded by weeds of low nutritional value, but until today little is known on the response of the decomposer system to reforestation. We focused on the response of soil fauna, specifically oribatid mites, which play an important role in the breakdown of organic matter. In the south Ecuadorian Andes we chose two sites with distinct vegetation: one pasture site invaded by Setaria sphacelata (grass pasture) and another invaded by Pteridium arachnoideum (bracken pasture). At both sites plots reforested with native (Alnus accuminata) and exotic tree species (Pinus patula and Eucalyptus saligna) were established. We hypothesized that oribatid mite abundance, species richness and community structure differ between reforestation treatments. To identify driving factors for oribatid mite community structure, we measured environmental variables, e.g. C-to-N ratio, water content, and microbial biomass. Overall, 65 species of oribatid mites were found with small species such as Suctobelbidae and Rostrozetes ovulum dominating. In contrast to our hypotheses, the abundance and species richness of oribatid mites differed more between pasture types than between reforestation treatments. This resembled the response of soil microbial biomass. Presumably, the duration of the experiment of seven years was too short to allow establishment of forest specific oribatid mite and microbial communities, suggesting that oribatid mites and microorganisms respond slowly to reforestation and changes in plant cover, reflecting long lasting legacy effects of previous land use.

Badger (Meles meles) disturbances affect oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) communities in European temperate forests

Burrowing mammals living in forests are one of the important disturbance factors driving changes in species community and diversity on the forest floor. In the present study we examined the impact of soil mounds created by badgers (Meles meles) on species richness and the community structure of oribatid mites, which constitute one of the most numerous components of soil mesofauna. We compare oribatid communities between forest soils disturbed by badgers in 1-year-old mounds and 5-year-old mounds as well as undisturbed forest soil to get an insight into the direction of temporal changes. The study plots were situated in pine forests within the Kampinos Forest (Poland). The soil parameters created by badgers and ecological groups in the oribatid fauna were analysed. The results showed that distinct oribatid communities occur in badger mounds when compared with adjacent undisturbed forest soil. It appeared that badgers have the potential to substantially affect the soil environment in forest ecosystems and finally influenced mite abundance and community composition. Initial badger disturbance caused a significant decline in the abundance and biodiversity of oribatid mites, but within a few years the oribatid fauna was restored. Our results supported the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Badger activity affected the composition of ecological groups of mites, toward surface dwelling, primary decomposers and sexually reproducing species. It can be concluded that badger mounds serve as microhabitats for some soil mites and contribute to the patchiness and heterogeneity of the forest floor. Finally, oribatid community structure proved to be a good indicator of soil disturbance caused by mammal activities involving deep digging in soil and heaping mounds in temperate forests.

Bringing multivariate support to multiscale codependence analysis: Assessing the drivers of community structure across spatial scales

Abstract Multiscale codependence analysis (MCA) quantifies the joint spatial distribution of a pair of variables in order to provide a spatially explicit assessment of their relationships to one another. For the sake of simplicity, the original definition of MCA only considered a single response variable (e.g. a single species). However, that definition would limit the application of MCA when many response variables are studied jointly, for example when one wants to study the effect of the environment on the spatial organisation of a multi‐species community in an explicit manner. In the present paper, we generalise MCA to multiple response variables. We conducted a simulation study to assess the statistical properties (i.e. type I error rate and statistical power) of multivariate MCA (mMCA) and found that it had honest type I error rate and sufficient statistical power for practical purposes, even with modest sample sizes. We also exemplified mMCA by applying it to two ecological datasets. The simulation study confirmed the adequacy of mMCA from a statistical standpoint: it has honest type I error rates and sufficient power to be useful in practice. Using mMCA, we were able to detect variation in fish community structure along the Doubs River (in France), which was associated with large spatial structures in the variation of physical and chemical variables related to water quality. Also, mMCA usefully described the spatial variation of an Oribatid mite community structure associated with a gradient of water content superimposed on various smaller‐scale spatial features associated with vegetation cover in the peat blanket surrounding Lac Geai (in Québec, Canada). In addition to demonstrating the soundness of mMCA in theory and practice, we further discuss the strengths and assumptions of mMCA and describe other potential scenarios where it would be helpful to biologists interested in assessing influence of environmental conditions on community structure in a spatially explicit way.

Mesovoid shallow substratum as a biodiversity hotspot for conservation priorities: analysis of oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) fauna

The mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS) is a unique habitat that shelters and serves as a microrefuge for epigean, endogean and hypogean invertebrate species. Understanding the MSS community′s spatio-temporal structure and species diversity patterns in relation to the environmental parameters plays a crucial role in conservation. In this study we investigated: i) the diversity and community structure of oribatid mites from edaphic habitat, superficial MSS (i.e., the upper layer of MSS) and deep MSS (i.e., lower layer of MSS) in an alpine region of Southern Carpathians, Romania, and ii) the relationships between the oribatid mite communities and the environmental variables, such as temperature and humidity. The composition and the structure of oribatid communities differed along the three habitats indicating possible habitat specialization. The structure of the oribatid community was influenced by temperature and humidity. The rich and mixed oribatid communities in the MSS and the oribatid communities' response to surface and subsurface environmental variables suggest that the MSS may offer a micro-refuge for edaphic species when the conditions in the surface habitats become too harsh. Thus, we suggest that MSS should be prioritized for conservation because it may be the key component in maintaining biodiversity.

Temporal fluctuations in oribatid mites indicate that density-independent factors favour parthenogenetic reproduction

We investigated the oribatid mite density, community structure and the percentage of parthenogenetic individuals in four different forest types across three regions in Germany in 2008 and once again in 2011. We compared temporal (inter-annual) fluctuations in population densities between sexually and parthenogenetically reproducing species of oribatid mites. We hypothesized that population densities in parthenogenetic oribatid mite species fluctuate more than in sexual ones. Further, we expected species composition and dominance of parthenogenetic species to differ between forest types and regions. Oribatid mite community structure did not differ between years but varied with forest type and region, indicating low species turnover in time. As hypothesized, temporal fluctuations were more pronounced in parthenogenetic as compared to sexual species. The percentage of parthenogenetic individuals was significantly higher in coniferous than in beech forests and significantly higher in Schorfheide-Chorin than in Hainich-Dün and Schwäbische Alb. The results indicate that parthenogenetic species flourish if populations are controlled by density-independent factors and dominate at sites were resources are plentiful and easily available, such as coniferous forests, and in regions with more acidic soils and thick organic layers, such as Schorfheide-Chorin. However, historical factors also may have contributed to the increased dominance of parthenogenetic species in the Schorfheide-Chorin, as this region was more heavily glaciated and this may have favoured parthenogenetic species. Overall, our study supports the hypothesis that parthenogenetic species benefit from the lack of density-dependent population control whereas the opposite is true for sexual species.

Litter quality indirectly influences community composition, reproductive mode and trophic structure of oribatid mite communities: a microcosm experiment.

Our knowledge of the assembly processes of species-rich oribatid mite communities is fairly limited. Also, very little information is available on the effects of habitat factors on these processes. In this paper, the role of litter quality in pattern formation was investigated in a microcosm experiment using the "home-field advantage" approach. Native (home) and foreign (away) types of microarthropod assemblages were extracted from three types of litter samples (Turkey oak, Scots pine and black locust tree), and transferred alive into 'home' and 'away' samples, which have been defaunated and reinoculated with microorganisms to form microcosms. Microarthropods were extracted from the microcosms after incubation for 3-12 months. In addition to species identification and abundance records, some chemical properties of the litter were measured. We hypothesized that oribatid mite communities deteriorate, the proportion of parthenogenetic individuals decreases and the proportion of omnivorous individuals increases in 'away' microcosms in contrast to 'home' systems. Pine and oak litter were favourable for all the three types of oribatid communities since their community traits in these types of litter were found to be similar to 'home' litter. Black locust litter was favourable only for its native oribatid community in the long run. The proportion of parthenogenetic individuals partly supported our hypothesis, mainly in black locust litter. The relative abundance of omnivorous individuals did not differ significantly between treatments. Litter quality is likely to influence oribatid mite assemblages only indirectly.

Oribatid mite communities along an elevational gradient in Sairme gorge (Caucasus).

Many aboveground animals and plant communities have been studied along elevational gradients whereas studies on soil animals are scarce. Here, we studied oribatid mite community distribution along an elevational gradient from 600 to 2200 m in forest ecosystems of the Western Lesser Caucasus Mountains in Georgia. Overall, 86 oribatid mite species were found at the study sites. Oribatid mite densities were generally low (~9800 ind./m(2)), and 74% of all species reproduced sexually indicating that resource conditions at the study sites are generally poor. Oribatids mainly comprised Brachypylina (76%), Mixonomata (13%), Desmonomata (6%) and Enarthronota (5%). Oribatid mite community structure changed along the elevational gradient and the changes correlated with temperature, pH, litter thickness and density of the herb layer. The dominance of sexually reproducing taxa and low overall abundance indicate that the studied elevational gradient is characterized by poor resource conditions for soil microarthropods. Oribatid mite species richness and density declined with elevation suggesting that decreasing temperature in concert with resource limitation is a main driver of oribatid mite communities whereas stochastic factors (such as mid-domain effects) are of minor importance.

Trophic structure of oribatid mite communities from six different oak forests (Quercus robur)

The degree of trophic plasticity in soil animals is intensely debated. We used stable isotope ratios (15N/14N, 13C/12C) of oribatid mite species from six oak (Quercus robur) forests to investigate (1) if trophic niches vary between forests and (2) the range of trophic levels spanned by oribatid mites. Using litter as baseline stable isotope signatures of most oribatid mite species differed between forests. Therefore, the stable isotope signatures were re-calibrated using stable isotope values of Platynothrus peltifer as primary decomposer species occurring in each of the six forests. Re-calibrated values of nine species (Cerachipteria jugata, Damaeus clavipes, Neotrichoppia variabilis, Oppia denticulata, Hermaniella dolosa, Steganacarus magnus, Ceratozetes peritus, Nanhermannia nana, Xenillus tegeocranus, Eremaeus cordiformis) differed significantly between forests indicating trophic plasticity in most of the studied oribatid mite species. Overall, calibrated stable isotope ratios spanned over 8.7 δ units for 15N and 5.9 δ units for 13C indicating that in forest ecosystems oribatid mite species span about three trophic levels.