Microhabitat Selectivity of Mites (Acari) in a Natural Lowland Beech Forest (Melico-Fagetum) in Wronie Reserve (Poland)

TL;DR

This study explores how different microhabitats in a beech forest affect the diversity and distribution of mite species.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the microhabitat selectivity of mites in a natural lowland beech forest in Poland.

Findings

Moss on beech stumps and beech litter had the highest mite species richness.

Parachipteria willmanni was the most abundant species in moss on beech stumps and trunks.

Mite assemblages in rotting wood and marsh litter showed significant differences.

Abstract

The European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is a tree species common throughout Europe, with the eastern boundary of its range extending across Poland. Material for the analyses was collected from several microhabitats of beech stands in the Wronie Forest Reserve. The acarofauna, and in particular Oribatida and Mesostigmata, inhabiting the microhabitats of beech stands has not been thoroughly explored so far. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of microhabitat conditions found in beech forests on the diversity of mite assemblages and their species richness. In the examined material, 144 taxa were recorded (78 species of Oribatida, 66 species of Mesostigmata). All the analyzed microhabitats varied in terms of their mite assemblages. The highest number of species was identified in moss on beech stumps (72 species) and from beech litter (68 species). The most numerously represented species in the analyzed material was Parachipteria willmanni. Mite assemblages in moss on beech stumps and moss on beech trunks (0.5 and 2.0 m) were the most similar and rotting wood and marsh litter differed greatly.

The European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is a tree species common throughout Europe, with the eastern boundary of its range extending across Poland. Samples were collected in several microhabitats of beech stands (e.g., leaf litter, rotting wood, moss growing on tree stumps) in the Wronie Forest Reserve. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of microhabitat conditions found in beech forests on the diversity of mite assemblages and their species richness. The collected samples comprised a total of 144 identified species (78 species of Oribatida, 66 species of Mesostigmata), represented by 74,433 mite individuals (71,124 Oribatida and 3309 Mesostigmata). All the analyzed microhabitats varied in terms of their mite assemblages. The highest number of species was identified in moss on beech stumps (72 species—53 Oribatida and 19 Mesostigmata) and in samples collected from beech litter (68 species—48 Oribatida and 20 Mesostigmata). The most numerously represented species in the analyzed material was Parachipteria willmanni, which was classified to superdominants in moss on beech stumps and moss on beech trunks (0.5 and 2.0 m), which were the most similar microhabitats. In contrast, mite assemblages in rotting wood and marsh litter differed greatly.

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