Application of Oribatid Mites as Indicators (Review)

Abstract

Abstract. This review discusses the connection between quantitative changes of environmental factors and oribatid communities. With the overview of available studies, it can be clearly explored how various characteristics of Oribatid communities are modified due to changes in moisture, temperature, heavy metal concentration, organic matter content and level of disturbance. The most important question concerning the application of Oribatids as indicators is to clarify what kind of information content does natural Oribatid coenological patterns possess from the aspect of bioindication. Most of the variables listed above can be directly measured, since rapid methods are available to quantify parameters of the soil. Responses of Oribatids are worth to study in a more complex approach. Even now we have an expansive knowledge on how communities change due to modifications of different factors. These pieces of information necessitate the elaboration of such methods which render Oribatid communities suitable for the task to prognosticate what extent the given site can be considered near-natural or degraded, based on the Oribatid composition of a single sample taken from the given area. Answering this problem needs extensive and coordinated work.

Do shifts in soil Oribatida (Acari, Oribatida) give information on differences in fruit yield of Chinese star anise?

“…As stated in the literature, soil moisture, temperature, and organic matter content were the prime factors responsible for local differences in the abundance and community structure of Oribatida mites (Gergócs and Hufnagel, 2009). The litter layer is the primary habitat and food resource of Oribatida mites (Ponge, 1991;Schneider et al, 2004) and an important factor regulating their densities (Erdmann et al, 2012).…”

Abundance and diversity of soil arthropods and fungi in shelterbelts integrated with pastures in the central tablelands of New South Wales, Australia

“…Our results of decreasing density of microarthropods from the shelterbelt midpoint to the middle of pasture match with the results of Reddersen (1997) and Olejniczak (2004). Livestock treading (Seniczak et al 2007) and sporadic chemical applications for plant pro-tection (Gergócs, Hufnagel 2009) could be the other factors that have infl uenced the decline in populations of microarthropods in pasture, compared with those in shelterbelts. It is also worthy of note that the increase in arthropod abundance within and closer to the shelterbelts, which occurred in the early phase of the shelterbelt -pasture (i.e.…”

Application of Soil Oribatid Mites as Bioindicators in Impact Areas of the Gas Industry in the West Siberian Tundra

“…Indicative possibilities of the oribatid mites reacting to the change of environmental conditions, including contamination by heavy metals and/or by atmospheric pollutants were frequently shown (Aleynikova 1976, Krivolutsky 1978, Andre et al 1982Norton & Sillman 1985, Seniczak et al 1995, Steiner 1995Stebaeva & Andrievskii 1997;BehanPelletier 1999;Zaitsev & van Straalen 2001, Balogh & Balogh 2002, Andrievskii 2003, Lindberg & Bengtsson 2005, Gulvik 2007, Gergocs & Hufnagel 2009, Ivan & Vasiliu 2009, Khalil et al 2009). …”