To what extent do pine and oak clear-cut stumps support mite (Acari: Mesostigmata) communities in temperate forests?

Abstract

Mesostigmatid mites are one of the natural elements of soil fauna, but they are also found in decomposing wood. Many studies have focused on mites in decayed logs; however, information about the mite communities in decayed stumps and additionally in the adjacent litter is scarce. The primary objective of this study was to analyze how the mite fauna differs between Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and sessile oak [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.] stumps, as well as to discover how much the stumps affect the soil mite community in temperate forests. This study was conducted in two managed forests (pine versus oak) in five microhabitats [clear-cut stumps, ecotone, and litter at three distances (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m)]. The forests were 98 years old, growing in brownish, rusty soil and were located in the Murowana Goślina Forest Experimental Station (Poznań, Central Poland). Our study revealed that the mean number of species, mean abundance, and evenness differed between the pine and oak forests. Additionally, the study indicated that Scots pine and sessile oak clear-cut stumps as well as the adjacent litter (up to 1.5 m away) were inhabited by the same abundant mite species. Moreover, unique species such as Oplitis minutissima and Pergamasus mediocris were restricted in distribution to ecotone in the Scots pine forest.