Mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) in young and mature coniferous forests after surface wildfire

Kamczyc, Jacek; Urbanowski, Cezary K.; Pers‐Kamczyc, Emilia

doi:10.1007/s10493-017-0148-4

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…As a result, we recommend the use of different diversity measures. Similar findings, where there were differences in species composition but not in richness, have been reported on impact of fire on mites in pine forests [ 42 ], and on mites and ants in savanna [ 29 , 43 ]. Similarly to our findings, ant species composition has been reported to be affected by fire in forests in Argentina [ 37 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…However, arthropod responses to fire depend on ecosystem type and arthropod taxon. While arthropods showed no change in species richness after savanna and pine forest fires [ 42 , 43 ], mites and cockroaches did so in our fynbos system. Yet, we observed similarities in cockroach species richness between the 3-month and 7-year categories, despite the differences in habitat structure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Only multi-taxon studies show the full range of arthropod responses to fire

et al. 2018

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Fire is a major driver in many ecosystems. Yet, little is known about how different ground-living arthropods survive fire. Using three sampling methods, and time-since-fire (last fire event: 3 months, 1 year, and 7 years), we investigate how ground-living arthropod diversity responds to fire, and how species richness, diversity, abundance, and composition of the four dominant taxa: ants, beetles, cockroaches and mites, respond. We did this in the naturally fire-prone Mediterranean-type scrubland vegetation (fynbos) of the Cape Floristic Region. Surprisingly, overall species richness and diversity was the same for all time-since-fire categories. However, when each dominant taxon was analysed separately, effect of fire on species richness and abundance varied among taxa. This emphasizes that many taxa must be investigated to really understand fire-driven events. We also highlight the importance of using different diversity measures, as fire did not influence species richness and abundance of particular taxa, while it affected others, overall greatly affecting assemblages of all taxa. Rockiness affected species richness, abundance and composition of a few taxa. We found that all time-since-fire categories supported distinctive assemblages. Some indicator species occurred across all time-since-fire categories, while others were restricted to a single time-since-fire category, showing that there is a wide range of responses to fire between taxa. Details of local landscape structure, abiotic and biotic, and frequency and intensity of fire add complexity to the fire-arthropod interaction. Overall, we show that the relationship between fire and arthropods is phylogenetically constrained, having been honed by many millennia of fire events, and highly complex. Present-day species manifest a variety of adaptations for surviving the great natural selective force of fire.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Only multi-taxon studies show the full range of arthropod responses to fire

et al. 2018

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“…Additionally, in order to determine the ecological features of species composition within the habitats and stand types studied, we used the selection of mite species into exclusive, core and common taxa after Kamczyc et al [55]. Core species were taxa which occurred on all habitats and stand types investigated, whereas exclusive species refer to taxa which were present in only one stand type.…”

Section: Soil Mite Investigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Succession of Mite Assemblages (Acari, Mesostigmata) during Decomposition of Tree Leaves in Forest Stands Growing on Reclaimed Post-Mining Spoil Heap and Adjacent Forest Habitats

Urbanowski

Horodecki

Kamczyc

et al. 2018

Forests

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Mites significantly contribute, prevalently by vertical movement, to mixing of the organic layer with the mineral soil, thus they may be important in renewing soils. Our aim was to analyze the changes in abundance and species richness of mesostigmatid assemblages on decomposing leaves of Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., Betula pendula Roth, Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus robur L. in pine and birch stands growing on a reclaimed spoil heap and adjacent forests. In December 2013, 1024 litterbags (mesh size = 1 mm) containing leaf litter of broadleaved and coniferous trees (mean initial dry weight per sample = 5.789 g) were laid out in the same number and kind in each of the two sites. Mites were extracted from litterbags which were collected every 3–6 months for 3 years. In total, 6466 mites were identified in 59 taxa. Total abundance was higher on forest habitats (5174 specimens) compared to the spoil (1292), and in birch compared to pine stands, both in forest (3345, 1829, respectively) and spoil habitats (981, 311). Throughout the experiment, mites were most abundant on oak litter samples (2063 specimens), while the remaining litter types had similar abundances (1455–1482). At the beginning of the experiment (3–6 months) mite abundance was very low, but was higher on forest habitats. The highest abundance was found after 9 months—144 specimens in pine stands on the spoil heap and 685 in birch stands on forest habitats. During the study, 49 taxa were found on forest and 29 on heap habitats. In birch stands, 37 and 22 taxa were found, whereas in pine 30 and 21, on forest and heap, respectively. The most frequent species on the heap were Amblyseius tubae Karg, Asca bicornis Canestrini et Fanzago, and Asca aphidioides Linneaeus, whereas in forest habitat—Zercon peltatus C.L. Koch, Veigaia nemorensis C.L. Koch, and Trachytes aegrota C.L. Koch. Habitat conditions, tree species and litter type significantly determined the mesostigmatid species composition, richness and abundance. By selection of dominant tree species during afforestation, it is possible to significantly affect the soil fauna composition, and thus indirectly the rate of decomposition.

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“…; McCaw ; Kamczyc et al . ). The nature of fundamental ecological processes such as fire needs to be better understood so that land managers can have a greater understanding of which fire regimes are appropriate for specific ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The response of cerambycid beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to long‐term fire frequency regimes in subtropical eucalypt forest

et al. 2019

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Fire has a varied influence on plant and animal species through direct (e.g. fire-induced mortality) and indirect (e.g. modification of habitat) effects. Our understanding of the influence of fire regime on invertebrates and their response to fire-induced modifications to habitat is poor. We aimed to determine the response of a beetle family (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to varying fire treatments and hypothesised that the abundance of cerambycid beetles is influenced by fire frequency due to modifications in habitat associated with the fire treatments. Arthropods were sampled across 3 months in annually and triennially burnt areas (treatments starting in 1952 and 1973 respectively), an area unburnt since 1946, and a former unburnt treatment, burnt by wildfire in 2006. Eleven different cerambycid taxa were collected using flight intercept panel traps, dominated by three species (Ipomoria tillides, Adrium sp. and Bethelium signiferum) which made up 99% of individuals collected. Over the sampling period the long unburnt treatment had significantly lower species richness than the triennial and wildfire treatments. Cerambycid abundance was significantly higher in the triennially burnt treatment than in all other fire treatments. Ipomoria tillides was more abundant in both frequently burnt treatments, Adrium sp. was more common in triennially burnt areas, whereas B. signiferum, was more common in the wildfire affected treatment. Some, but not all, cerambycid beetles were more common in areas with a more open understorey (i.e. resulting from frequent burning), and lower tree basal area, as this likely influences their ability to fly easily between food sources. Cerambycid abundance was positively related to the volume of coarse woody debris and healthy tree crowns. Cerambycid beetles were clearly influenced by historic fire regime, suggesting that changes in fire regime can potentially have a profound influence on arthropod assemblages, and subsequent influences on ecosystem processes, which are currently poorly understood.

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Mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) in young and mature coniferous forests after surface wildfire

Cited by 15 publications

References 32 publications

Only multi-taxon studies show the full range of arthropod responses to fire

Only multi-taxon studies show the full range of arthropod responses to fire

Succession of Mite Assemblages (Acari, Mesostigmata) during Decomposition of Tree Leaves in Forest Stands Growing on Reclaimed Post-Mining Spoil Heap and Adjacent Forest Habitats

The response of cerambycid beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to long‐term fire frequency regimes in subtropical eucalypt forest

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