Oribatid Mite Community Decline Two Years after Low-Intensity Burning in the Southern Cascade Range of California, USA

Abstract

Abstract:To assess effects of low-intensity fire, we combined two silvicultural prescriptions with prescribed fire in the California Cascade Range. In the first treatment, two 100-ha stands were thinned to reduce density while retaining old-growth structural characteristics, yielding residual stands with high structural diversity (HSD). Two other 100-ha plots were thinned to minimize old growth structure, producing even-aged stands of low structural diversity (LSD), and one 50-ha split-plot from each treatment was burned. In addition, two 50 ha old-growth Research Natural Areas (RNA) were selected as untreated reference plots, one of which was also burned. Fire treatments profoundly altered mite assemblages in the short term, and forest structure modification likely exacerbated that response. Sampling conducted two years following treatment confirmed a continuing decline in oribatid mite abundance. Oribatid species richness and assemblage heterogeneity also declined, and community dominance patterns were disrupted. Oribatid responses to fire were either more intense or began earlier in the LSD treatments, suggesting that removal of old-growth structure exacerbated mite responses to fire. Prostigmatids recovered quickly, but their populations nonetheless diminished significantly in burned split-plots. Mite assemblage responses to prescribed fire were continuing nearly two years later, with no clear evidence of recovery.

Biomonitoring and Inter-Annual Variation of Soil Mite (Acari) Diversity and Community Structure in Lamto Guinean Savannah (Co´te d'Ivoire) Submitted to Different Fire Regimes

“…The huge niche partitions in soil associated to the diversity of microhabitats and to spatial and temporal segregation between species promote the maintenance of the biodiversity (Decaëns , 2010). Unfortunately, the prescribed fire reduces the soil mite abundance and diversity, as highlighted by Camann et al (2008Camann et al ( , 2012. These observations are similar to the results of our investigation.…”

“…The distribution and abundance of these biological components change in time and space because of variable and dynamic interactions among the biotic and abiotic components (Kim and Jung, 2008). The prescribed fire alters oribatid assemblages, reducing species richness and species diversity and modifying assemblage dominance relationships as observed by Camann et al (2008Camann et al ( , 2012. Most of the studies based on short term effects are devoted to forest ecosystems.…”

“…However, the removal of the litter dwelling represents a substantial loss of habitat for most soil mesofauna. Even if the response of the disturbance depends on the frequency, duration, size or spatial extent, and their intensity or severity (Bengtsson, 2002), several studies have pointed out that the responses of soil microarthropods to fire vary depending on the type of ecosystem and range from a large reduction in species richness and abundance (Kim and Jung, 2008;Camann et al, 2008Camann et al, , 2012. In addition to microarthropods, fires affect also soil properties by decreasing the soil organic carbon (Certini et al, 2011).…”

“…They are involved in litter fragmentation, organic matter decomposition, and minerals recycling (Gulvik, 2007;Yang and Chen, 2009), and therefore are seen as good indicators of the ecological quality of the soil (Zhao et al, 2013). Indeed, the abundance, diversity and community structure of free-living mites (Acari) respond considerably to land management pr acticed (BehanPelletier, 1999; Camann et al, 2012). The distribution and abundance of these biological components change in time and space because of variable and dynamic interactions among the biotic and abiotic components (Kim and Jung, 2008).…”

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

“…Fire can indirectly affect the soil animal communities by changes in habitat conditions and removal of food sources reflected by organic matter, water-holding capacity and structural complexity of soil. However, it can also have a direct effect on the mortality of soil animals due to heat exposure (Camann et al 2012 ). Previously published studies connecting fire and soil animal communities (Table 1 ) have focused on two aspects: the recovery process and the effect of various types of fires on soil fauna communities.…”