Oribatid mite biodiversity in agroecosystems: role for bioindication

Behan‐Pelletier, Valerie M.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-50019-9.50023-6

Cited by 227 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…While best known as an important component of soil communities, occupying all layers of litter and soil, they are also abundant in various insular microhabitats on the forest floor and in the canopy. These include epiphytic and epilithic lichens and mosses, fungal sporophores, tree bark, twigs and dead wood, grasses, and shrubs (Aoki , Hammer , Seyd and Seaward , Wunderle , Behan‐Pelletier , Sovik et al. , Root et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specialization of oribatid mites to forest microhabitats—the enigmatic role of litter

et al. 2016

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The degree of ecological specialization influences the biological performance of species in their natural environment and affects the coexistence of different taxa. However, on a small scale, the diversity of microarthropods that coexist in forest soils and leaf litter seems inordinately high, a situation known as the “enigma of soil animal species diversity”. Since recent studies point to the importance of small‐scale heterogeneity to explain this phenomenon, we use interaction networks between microhabitats and their inhabitants to resolve and quantify the community structure (species composition, richness, and diversity) of oribatid mites (Oribatida) in five discrete, patchy substrates—dead wood, lichens, mosses, sod, and tree bark—and in the general leaf litter. Since oribatid mites are ubiquitous in all these microhabitats in temperate forests, the analysis of their community structure in the light of generalization and specialization might help us understand the ecological role of litter. We investigated whether litter acts as a specific microhabitat with the intrinsic characteristics that enable the “enigmatic” high diversity of oribatid mites (Habitat‐Hypothesis), if litter acts as a source from which oribatid mite species more or less randomly invade different associated microhabitat‐patches (Source‐Hypothesis), or if litter only connects patchily distributed microhabitats with specific species compositions (Connector‐Hypothesis). In total, 25,162 adult oribatid mite individuals were analyzed, most belonging to the derived group Brachypylina. Species richness, density, and diversity differed among microhabitats with highest values found in mosses and dead wood and lowest on tree bark. In general, specialization of oribatid mite species was low—highest on tree bark and in grass sod—but differed slightly among oribatid mite taxa (Enarthronota, Mixonomata, Nothrina, Brachypylina). The Connector‐ and Habitat‐Hypotheses can explain the distribution of most oribatid mite species but the Source‐Hypothesis explains the distribution patterns for only a few species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specialization of oribatid mites to forest microhabitats—the enigmatic role of litter

et al. 2016

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“…Mites are also possible candidates as bioindicators of rainforest restoration. Many studies have acknowledged their importance in ecological functioning and sensitivity to environmental changes (Hutson 1980; Moreno 1991; Behan‐Pelletier 1999; Cuccovia & Kinnear 1999). In particular, oribatid mites were expected to be useful indicators of reforestation due to previous studies that demonstrate their value as indicators of mined‐land restoration (Cuccovia & Kinnear 1999) and their poor dispersal abilities (Walter & Proctor 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using soil and litter arthropods to assess the state of rainforest restoration

Nakamura

Proctor

Catterall

2003

Eco Management Restoration

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Summary The present study investigated recolonization patterns of selected soil and litter arthropods following replanting of pasture with rainforest species in the Mary River catchment of eastern subtropical Australia. While extensive research has been conducted in rehabilitated mined sites in Australian dry sclerophyll forests, very little attention has been paid to rainforest restoration on previously pastoral land. We examined the utility of soil and litter arthropod groups for monitoring the progress of restoration, and the relationship between arthropod assemblage patterns and environmental factors potentially under the control of those doing the replanting. Leaf litter was extracted from 20 sites: five remnant rainforest, five pasture, and 10 sites that had been revegetated (from 1 to 12 years previously) with a diversity of indigenous species. Ants (identified to genus), centipedes, millipedes, isopods, amphipods and mites were enumerated and their assemblages described with multi‐ and univariate methods. Ant genera alone proved unable to distinguish pasture from rainforest, and mites (identified only to oribatid or non‐oribatid) proved of limited use because these two groups were present in all samples in extremely high numbers that overwhelmed the contributions of other arthropod groups. However, a coarse taxonomic approach using five arthropod groups (ants, centipedes, millipedes, isopods, amphipods) clearly discriminated between pasture and rainforest, and also arranged the revegetated sites between these two extremes. Simple frequency scores based on the presence/absence of these arthropod groups in each of three replicate subplots were sufficient to achieve this separation of site types. Habitats created by close planting of trees and mulching may accelerate invertebrate colonization and, thus, promote the rapid establishment of processes and functions characteristic of developing rainforests.

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“…). Oribatid communities are modified by changes in temperature, moisture regime, organic matter content, heavy metal concentration, and ecosystem disturbance (Hodgson & Convey ; Gergocs & Hufnagel ) and, unlike many other members of soil fauna, they often have low reproductive capacity and long life cycles, which makes them particularly suitable bioindicators of natural and anthropogenic changes in ecosystems (Behan‐Pelletier ; Gulvik ; Gergocs & Hufnagel ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indicator value of oribatid mites in determining past permafrost dynamics in northern European sub‐Arctic peatlands

Markkula

Oksanen²,

Kuhry

2018

Boreas

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Permafrost dynamics play an important role in the surface hydrology and carbon balance of northern peatlands. Plant macrofossil analysis with radiocarbon dating has been widely used in detecting past permafrost dynamics in peatlands; however, there is a lack of permafrost‐specific plant indicator species, which makes it challenging to determine the exact timing of historical permafrost aggradation. We investigated the indicator value of oribatid mites in determining past permafrost dynamics in sub‐Arctic peatlands. Analyses of subfossil oribatid mite assemblages of Holocene peat profiles from two mires, one in northern Finland and one in northeastern European Russia, were carried out and interpreted using modern calibration data from the same study areas. The results were compared with previously published reconstructions of permafrost history based on plant macrofossil analyses from the same locations. The results suggest that the oribatid mites Carabodes labyrinthicus, Chamobates borealis and Neoribates aurantiacus are promising indicator species to detect past permafrost occurrence in peatlands. In addition, N. aurantiacus is clearly associated with the presence of lichens, which is particularly useful because lichen remains are rarely preserved in peat deposits. Results are in accordance with earlier studies showing that oribatid mites are useful indicators of past environmental change.

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Oribatid mite biodiversity in agroecosystems: role for bioindication

Cited by 227 publications

References 62 publications

Specialization of oribatid mites to forest microhabitats—the enigmatic role of litter

Specialization of oribatid mites to forest microhabitats—the enigmatic role of litter

Using soil and litter arthropods to assess the state of rainforest restoration

Indicator value of oribatid mites in determining past permafrost dynamics in northern European sub‐Arctic peatlands

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