The influence of environmental variables on soil mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) from overgrazed grassland ecosystems – Romania

Manu, Minodora; Iordache, Virgil; Băncilă, Raluca Ioana; Bodescu, Florian; Onete, Marilena

doi:10.1080/11250003.2015.1091897

Cited by 21 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Low importance of other parameters, especially light availability, which is claimed to drive soil temperature (by canopy transmittance; von Arx et al 2012 ), was unexpected. The studies of Manu et al ( 2016 ) indicated that temperature was a significant factor for some Mesostigmata such as Protogamasellus pygmaeus or Trachytes irenae . This could indicate that the major factor that influenced species richness near the Czerwona Woda River was soil organic layer depth, which is connected with soil pH and primarily to the tree species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of soil mites (Acari, Mesostigmata) to long-term Norway spruce plantation along a mountain stream

et al. 2018

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During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, coniferous monocultures were introduced, replacing natural broadleaved forests in Central Europe, mainly for economic benefits. In the mountains, Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) H. Karst] was introduced in large areas previously covered with beech forests and also in natural riverside habitat corridors such as river valleys, despite its negative impact on the soil environment by e.g. organic matter accumulation, decrease of soil pH and changes in C/N ratio. We aimed to check how long-term Norway spruce plantations affect species richness and diversity of soil mites along a mountain river in former mixed and broadleaved forests. The study, based on 342 samples, was carried out in Stołowe Mountains National Park (SW Poland). Understory species biomass, soil pH and soil organic layer thickness significantly affected soil mite communities. Although coniferous forests did not differ from either broadleaved or mixed forests in mite density (number of individuals m−2) and species diversity (H′), they were characterized by low species richness and proportional abundance of Uropodina mites typical for broadleaved forests. In total, 4849 mites classified into 57 species were recorded from all forest types and no unique species were found in the sampled forests. Although the mite communities were dominated by the same common species (Veigaia nemorensis, Paragamasus runcatellus, Leptogamasus obesus and Trachytes aegrota), they still maintain the rare species of broadleaved forests and their high recovery potential may be used in forest conversion.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of soil mites (Acari, Mesostigmata) to long-term Norway spruce plantation along a mountain stream

et al. 2018

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“…Mountain grasslands of Romania are critical from ecological and pastoral points of view. They are defined by valuable species of plants and animals that often have ecological plasticity [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. These ecosystems are exposed to degradation processes through overgrazing, leading to changes in floristic composition, being dominated by Nardus stricta , a useless species for livestock, such as cows.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Mite (Acari: Mesostigmata) Communities and Their Relationships with Some Environmental Variables in Experimental Grasslands from Bucegi Mountains in Romania

Manu

Băncilă

Mountford

et al. 2022

Insects

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The main objective of the study was to analyse, for the first time in Romania, the relationships between five experimental grasslands and Mesostigmata fauna, considering: (1) the structural differences between mite communities; (2) the variations in some important abiotic factors (vegetation cover, soil temperature, soil moisture content, pH, soil resistance at penetration); and (3) the influence of these abiotic factors on the structures of Mesostigmata mite communities and the dispersal rates of these communities between the investigated plots. In total, 250 soil samples were analysed in July 2017, revealing the presence of 30 species, with 1163 individuals. Using the multivariate analysis, we observed that each experimental plot was defined by characteristic environmental conditions, i.e., vegetation cover, soil moisture content, and soil temperature differed significantly between the experimental grasslands. Each experimental plot was characterised by a specific indicator species and population parameters (numerical abundance and species richness). The effects of these soil variables were even demonstrated at species level: Veigaia planicola, Geolaelaps nolli, and Gamasellodes insignis were influenced by vegetation cover, Lysigamasus conus and Dendrolaelaps foveolatus by soil temperature. The dispersal rates of mite communities from one plot to another were higher in the grasslands, where there were euconstant–constant species.

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“…Research studies from all over the world revealed that the Mesostigmata communities correlated with environmental variables could constitute a very useful biological tool to characterized the ecological quality of terrestrial ecosystems and the quality of soils 9,10,18,21,[25][26][27][29][30][31]33 . In the case of urban green areas from Bucharest, under different management scenarios, their ecological characterization was made taking into account the variation of the environmental parameters, in correlation with spatial dynamics of the communities' parameters of Mesostigmata fauna (species diversity and numerical abundance).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the same time, they are the main regulator of the other soil invertebrate populations 11 , 24 , 25 . Most species prefer habitats rich in organic matter, with high soil moisture, medium soil temperature and a low pH 26 – 28 . Because of these ecological requirements and their marked sensitivity to environmental/anthropogenic disturbance, soil mites are often used as soil bioindicators 15 , 29 – 33 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) as indicators of urban ecosystems in Bucharest, Romania

Manu

Băncilă

Bîrsan

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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The aim of the present study was to establish the effect of management type and of environmental variables on the structure, abundance and species richness of soil mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in twelve urban green areas in Bucharest-Romania. Three categories of ecosystem based upon management type were investigated: protected area, managed (metropolitan, municipal and district parks) and unmanaged urban areas. The environmental variables which were analysed were: soil and air temperature, soil moisture and atmospheric humidity, soil pH and soil penetration resistance. In June 2017, 480 soil samples were taken, using MacFadyen soil core. The same number of measures was made for quantification of environmental variables. Considering these, we observed that soil temperature, air temperature, air humidity and soil penetration resistance differed significantly between all three types of managed urban green area. All investigated environmental variables, especially soil pH, were significantly related to community assemblage. Analysing the entire Mesostigmata community, 68 species were identified, with 790 individuals and 49 immatures. In order to highlight the response of the soil mite communities to the urban conditions, Shannon, dominance, equitability and soil maturity indices were quantified. With one exception (numerical abundance), these indices recorded higher values in unmanaged green areas compared to managed ecosystems. The same trend was observed between different types of managed green areas, with metropolitan parks having a richer acarological fauna than the municipal or district parks.

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The influence of environmental variables on soil mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) from overgrazed grassland ecosystems – Romania

Cited by 21 publications

References 35 publications

Response of soil mites (Acari, Mesostigmata) to long-term Norway spruce plantation along a mountain stream

Response of soil mites (Acari, Mesostigmata) to long-term Norway spruce plantation along a mountain stream

Soil Mite (Acari: Mesostigmata) Communities and Their Relationships with Some Environmental Variables in Experimental Grasslands from Bucegi Mountains in Romania

Soil mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) as indicators of urban ecosystems in Bucharest, Romania

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