Community Structure of Epilithic Moss Mites and Their Response to Environmental Factors in Different Grades of Rocky Desertification Habitats

Abstract

This research has been undertaken to reveal the changes in the community structure of epilithic moss mites and the response of these mites to environmental factors under different grades of rocky desertification environment. In this study, epilithic moss mites were collected in a demonstration area for rocky desertification management in Bijie Salaxi, with the following rocky desertification grades as habitat gradients: without rocky desertification, potential rocky desertification, light rocky desertification, moderate rocky desertification, and severe rocky desertification. The differences in the number of individuals, taxa, diversity index, dominance index, richness index, evenness index, and the effects of environmental factors on moss mite communities were revealed by one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and redundancy analysis for different grades of these mites. The results show that a total of 11,563 epilithic moss mites were captured in the study area, belonging to three orders, 100 families, and 171 genera, with Nanorchestes and Trichogalumna as the dominant taxa. With the deepening of rocky desertification, the dominant number of Nanorchestes and Trichogalumna increased. Still, the percentage of very rare genera also decreased, and there were differences in the composition of the dominant genus taxa in different grades of rocky desertification. Different grades of rocky desertification habitats had significant effects on the diversity index and richness index of moss mite species but not on the number of taxa, individuals, dominance index, and evenness index. The overall epilithic moss mite communities in different habitats were moderately dissimilar. Air temperature and rock temperature had strong effects on each index of moss mite diversity, whereas light factors and air humidity had a weak impact on these indices. Amongst the communities, those of Scheloribates are more sensitive to rock temperature variation, while Blattisocius, Ledermuelleria and Camerobia correlate more with a light variation. Parholaspulus, Blattisocius, Camerobia, Haplochthonius, Gymnodamaeus, etc. were more sensitive to changes in air humidity. The research shows that there are differences in moss mite community structure under different rocky desertification grades, rocky desertification has caused some effects on moss mite community structure, and the use of mite dominant taxa genera can give preliminary indications of the rocky desertification environment; meanwhile, there is a specific correlation between mite taxa and habitat environment changes.

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

“…There are obvious differences in the number of families, genera, individuals and individual density of oribatid mites in the five moss habitats. The number of group and individuals of oribatid mites in shrub and farmland is much higher than that understory, on the ground and in cave wall, which is consistent with the conclusion of Stanislam and Julio and other scholars that there are more mites in shrub moss [ 14 , 43 – 46 ]. There are differences in micro habitats in different moss habitats, which directly affect the diversity and species composition of mite communities [ 44 ].…”

“…understory, on the ground and in cave wall, which is consistent with the conclusion of Stanislam and Julio and other scholars that there are more mites in shrub moss [14,[43][44][45][46]. There are differences in micro habitats in different moss habitats, which directly affect the diversity and species composition of mite communities [44].…”

“…International research results show that Tectocepheus is abundant in roof moss, forest ground moss and arctic tundra [45,46,52]. Research on mites in moss habitats of different rocky desertification grades in karst regions of southwest China shows that Trichogaluna and Nanorchestes are dominant genera, and Trichogaluna also exists in soil environment in karst regions [53], the results indicated that the dominant genus composition of mites in the moss in this paper was basically consistent with the conclusion of most papers on mites, but there were some differences, which might be caused by the difference of environmental factors between habitats, such as different vegetation types, rock temperature, air temperature and humidity, solar illumination and so on in the moss microhabitat [14].…”

“…The oribatid mites have different indicating functions. In the Karst Rocky desertification area, the Trichogalumna can preliminarily indicate the rocky desertification environment [ 14 ]. The oribatid mite is also an important indicator species of past environmental changes, playing an important role in the nutrient cycle of the ecosystem and the formation of Humus [ 15 ], It also plays an indispensable role in litter decomposition and trophic cycling [ 16 ].…”

Community structure of soil mites under different crops and its response to environmental factors in the buffer zone of Shibing Karst World Natural Heritage

“…Among them, Scheloribates, Tectocepheus, and Protorobotritia occupied a dominant position among the soil mites in the study area and could be used as biological indicator species of the soil environment. According to the results of previous studies, Scheloribates is abundant in karst rocky desertification soils of different grades, karst rocky desertification moss, Shibing karst forest land, and Fanjing Mountain forest [3,15,50], whereas Tectocepheus is also abundant in the Chishui Alsophila spinulosa Nature Reserve, karst rocky desertification soils of different grades, and rose mixed agricultural forest [3,24,51], which shows that the composition of dominant genera of soil mites in the study area is similar to that in the adjacent karst area. However, the composition of the dominant genera of soil mites was somewhat different compared to that in other remote areas.…”