10.5061/DRYAD.80GB5MKRD
Seniczak, Anna
0000-0003-0224-5397
University of Bergen
Seniczak, Stanisław
Kazimierz Wielki University
Starý, Josef
Czech Academy of Sciences
Kaczmarek, Sławomir
Kazimierz Wielki University
Jordal, Bjarte
University of Bergen
Kowalski, Jarosław
0000-0003-2708-5887
UTP University of Science and Technology
Roth, Steffen
University of Bergen
Djursvoll, Per
University of Bergen
Bolger, Thomas
University College Dublin
High diversity of mites (Acari: Oribatida, Mesostig-mata) supports the
high conservation value of a broadleaf forest in Eastern Norway
Dryad
dataset
2021
FOS: Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
Norwegian Taxonomy Initiative*
35-16, 70184237
Norwegian Taxonomy Initiative*
6-20, 70184243
Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education*
008/RID/2018/19
Norwegian Taxonomy Initiative
35-16, 70184237
Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education
008/RID/2018/19
2021-08-19T00:00:00Z
2021-08-19T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.3390
135680 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Broadleaf forests are critical habitats for biodiversity and this
biodiversity is in turn essential for their proper functioning. Mites
(Acari) are a numerous and functionally essential component of these
forests. We report the diversity of two important groups, Oribatida and
Mesostigmata, in a broadleaf forest in Eastern Norway which is considered
to be a biodiversity hotspot. Eighteen samples, each 500 cm3, were
collected from diverse microhabitats (moss on ground, lichens on tree
twigs lying on ground, moss on tree trunk at ground level and 1.5 m above
ground, moss on decaying wood, log and stump, and decaying wood) from
which 10,843 specimens and 95 species from 32 families of Oribatida, and
655 specimens of 34 species from 14 families of Mesostigmata were found.
Only 30% of the species were previously recorded in broadleaf forests in
Western Norway. Oribatid communities on tree stumps and in lichens were
distinct from the other communities, while mesostigmatid communities on
tree trunks (both at ground level and above ground) and in lichens
differed most from other communities. Over 30% of the species were found
in only a single microhabitat. Twenty-three species and the genus
Zerconopsis are reported from Norway for the first time. Six records are
also new to Fennoscandia, including (Oribatida) Quadroppia monstruosa,
Eueremaeus valkanovi, Ramusella furcata, and (Mesostigmata) Dendrolaelaps
rectus, D. multidentatus, and D. tenuipilus. In addition, several rare
species were detected, e.g., Achipteria magna, Oribotritia berlesei, and
Subiasella quadrimaculata, and two were found in their northernmost
locality (O. berlesei, E. valkanovi). These results confirm the unique
character and high conservation value of the studied forest in Norway,
Fennoscandia and at a European scale.
2.1. Study Site Samples were collected in a plant-rich broadleaf forest
located in Kjeøya (59.093° N 11.222° E, 120 m a.s.l.), a peninsula in
Viken province, Halden municipality, in Eastern Norway (Figure 1). The
study site was characterized by an oceanic climate, with mean annual
temperature 6.4 °C and annual precipitation 820 mm [38]. Summer is
relatively mild with average temperatures between 16.0–16.7 °C in July and
August. In the coldest months (January and February) the average
temperatures are between −2.9 °C and −3.8 °C. The vegetation zone is
Boreonemoral and slightly oceanic sensu [39]. The bedrock is composed
mainly of different gneiss and granite rocks. The forest (Figure 2) has
an area of 2.32 ha and is considered an important habitat, since many rare
species, mainly fungi, have been detected there [40]. Forest was
characterized by old and large oak (mostly common oak, Quercus robur L.),
hollow oaks of 100 years and older (>50 cm dbh) [41], and
small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) trees. Other tree species were
hazel (Corylus avellana L.), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), Norway
maple (Acer platanoides L.), and some additional Norway spruce [Picea
abies (L.) H.Karst] and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The herb
vegetation was partly sparse. 2.2. Sampling and Identification In total,
18 samples, each of a volume of 500 cm3, were collected on 12 June 2017
from several microhabitats: (1) mosses on ground (four samples), (2)
lichens on tree twigs lying on ground (three samples), (3) mosses on tree
trunks on ground level (three samples), (4) mosses on tree trunks 1.5 m
above ground (two samples), (5) mosses on stump (one sample), (6) mosses
on decaying wood (three samples), and (7) decaying wood (two samples).
Arthropods were extracted using modified Tullgren funnels for 14 days into
90% ethanol and sorted out from the samples under stereomicroscope.
Oribatida were mounted on temporary slides with cavity in lactic acid and
adult specimens were identified using the keys of [42–45], while juveniles
were identified based on [46–61]. The nomenclature of oribatid species
follows [62, 63] and partly [45,57,58]. Mesostigmata were mounted on
permanent slides in PVA mounting medium (Lactic Acid, Poly Vinyl Acetate
and Phenol Solution, BioQuip Products, Inc., Compton, CA, USA) and
identified following [64–84]. Full names of species are given in Table 1
while in other tables and figures abbreviations are used. Specimens
representing all species are deposited at the University Museum of Bergen,
Norway. Information on other mite groups that were sorted out from the
samples will be published later. Habitat preferences (Table 1) of oribatid
mites are based on [45,85–87], and those of Mesostigmata on
[67,69,70,72,73,75–78,80–82,88–91]. These habitats include the following
types: aquatic (reproduction and all stages of life cycle in water or at
its margins), hygrophilous (living in wet places), mesohygrophilous
(preferring high moisture but not wet places), xerophilous (living in dry
places), arboricolous (living on trees), lichenicolous (living on
lichens), merocenophilous (living in bark beetle galleries and anthills),
muscicolous (living in mosses), praticolous (meadow species), silvicolous
(forest species), tyrphophilous (bog species) and eurytopic (occurring in
more than three habitat types). The new records of Oribatida for Norway
are based on the checklist [92] and later publications [15,37,93]. Those
new to Fennoscandia are based on [94,95] and later publications
[31,96–107]. The new records of Mesostigmata for Norway are based on
[91,108–110] and those new to Fennoscandia are based on [90,111]. 2.3.
Statistical Analyses Oribatid and mesostigmatid mite populations were
quantified as abundance (individuals in 500 cm3), dominance (D, percentage
of specimens of a particular species in the average abundance of Oribatida
or Mesostigmata), and frequency (F, percentage of the samples where the
species was present), and by the number of species (mean per sample in
habitat and total species richness per habitat), and the Shannon (H')
diversity index [112]. Categories summarizing the status of occurrence of
species (Table 2) follow [113]. The basic statistical descriptors included
the mean values and standard deviation and were calculated in MS Excel.
The species similarities of the Oribatida and Mesostigmata between
microhabitats were analyzed using an unweighted pair group method with
arithmetic mean (UPGMA) with Bray-Curtis coefficient [114] using MVSP 3.2
[115]. Chao −1 indices and individual-based rarefaction curves were
computed using 100 randomizations in EstimateS for Windows (version 9)
[116].