Diversity of Soil Arthropods in Canada: Systematic and Ecological Problems

Abstract

Mem. ent. Soc. Can. 165: I I 50 (1993) Data on diversity are fundamental to our understanding of both natural and disturbed ecosystems. Yet, despitc their real and potential importance, knowledge ofthe diversity of non-pterygote soil arthropods in Canada still is very incomplete. This is illustrated with information on diversity fiom ninc non-pterygote arthropod taxa: Tardigrada, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Symphyla, Pauropoda, Protura, Collembola, Pseudoscorpionida, and Oribatida, and faunal lists are given for six of these taxa. Although valuable family and generic keys have bcen published recently, few monographic works or userfriendly keys to species are available. Autecological information essential to explaining thc functional role of soil arthropods remains inadequate. Fortunately, the needs of other disciplines and issues are causing a change. For example, current ecological research recognizes that the roles of soil arthropods in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil formation are more complex than prcviously supposed, palaeoecologists require new or corroborating data to interpret their fossil asscmblages, and issues such as agroecosystem management, environmental indicators, and global change require a more thorough knowlcdge of soil communities. Researchers in these areas face poor data on diversity based on inadequate systematics, which limit their understanding of the composition and organisation of soil arthropod communities. This inadcquacy presents both a challenge and an opportunity to soil arthropod systematists and ecologists.Behan-Pelletier, V M 1993. Diversitd des arthropodes du sol au Canada: problbmes taxinomiques et 6cologiques. Mem. ent. Soc. Cun. 165: 1 l-50. R6sum6Des donndes sur la diversit6 sont indispensablcs ir notrc compr6hension des 6cosystdmes, aussi bien les 6cosystdmes intacts que les 6cosystdmes perturb6s. Pourtant, en d6pit de leur importance r6elle et potentiellc, la diversit6 des arthropodes non pterygotes du sol est un ph6nomdnc cncore bien mal connu au Canada. Cctte affirmation est illus-tr6e ici par des donn6es sur ncuf taxons d'arthropodes non pt6rygotcs, Tardigrades, Chilopodes, Diplopodes, Symphylcs, Pauropodes, Protourcs, Collemboles, Pseudo scorpions et Oribates; des listcs faunistiques sont prdscntdes pour six de ces taxons Bien quc des cl6s trds utiles des famillcs et des gcnres aient 6t6 publi6es rdcemment' il existe peu de monographies ou de cl6s d'identification des espdces faciles ir utiliser.L'information auto6cologique essentielle ir la compr6hension du r6lc fbnctionnel des arthropodcs du sol est cncore bien fragmentaire. Heureusemcnt, les besoins et les probldmes reli6s ) d'autres disciplines sont cn train d'apporter des changements. Par exemple, la recherche dcologique actuelle reconnait que lc r6le des arthropodes du sol dans la d6composition, le recyclage des 6l6mcnts nutritifs ct la formation du sol est plus complexe qu'on nc I'avait cru pric6demment, les pal6o6cologistes ont besoin de nouvcllcs donn6es ou de donnics compl6mentaircs pour interprdter ...

Acari and Collembola biodiversity in Canadian agricultural soils

“…Information on the diversity and/or distribution and/or ecology of a number of non-pterygote arthropod groups, including oribatid mites and Collembola, was subsequently reviewed by Addison (1993), Behan-Pelletier (1993a) and Skidmore (1995).…”

Arthropods as ecological indicators of sustainability in Canadian forests

“…2), this group of organisms would not pass the "Indicator Selection" step because it is not considered to be biologically efficacious. In particular, there are serious taxonomic impediments for most families of oribatid mites that greatly hinder reliable identification to species level (Behan-Pelletier 1993), and there is little ongoing taxonomic research on this group in North America. With considerable investment in taxonomy to provide reliable identification tools, this group could receive further consideration as a useful indicator group.…”

Oribatid Mites of the Genus Epilohmannia (Acari: Oribatida: Epilohmanniidae from Japan and Mongolia

“…Palaearctic region (Berlese 1904;Oudemans 1917;Balogh 1943;Hammen 1959;Schuster 1960;Bulanova-Zachvatkina 1967, 1975Pérez-Iñigo 1968;Bayoumi & Mahunka 1976;Balogh & Mahunka 1983;Karppinen et al 1986Karppinen et al , 1987Karppinen et al , 1992Shtanchaeva & Koshanova 1987;Ayyildiz & Özkan 1988;Krivolutsky 1995;Shtanchaeva 1996;Niedbala & Olszanowski, 1997), and Mongolia (see "material examined" section); Nearctic region (Jacot 1934;Marshall et al 1987;Behan-Pelletier 1993;Swift & Norton 1998); Oriental region (Sheals 1965;Prasad 1974;Bhaduri & Raychaudhuri 1981); Ethiopian region (Wallwork 1964); Oceania region (Aoki 1965;Schatz 1998).…”