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Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood

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A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2022) | Viewed by 23701

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Dr. Anna Seniczak

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Guest Editor

Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
Interests: mites; Oribatida; ecology; diversity; taxonomy; DNA barcoding; molecular phylogeny; soil fauna; bioindication

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Diversity Journal is about to launch a Special Issue dedicated to “Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood”.

Forests are undoubtedly the ecosystems richest in arthropods. For example, a single hectare of tropical rainforest may contain 42,000 different insect species. Forests are "home" to many taxonomic groups, including myriads of insects and numerous arachnids, myriapods, isopods, proturans, and two-pronged bristletails. Arthropods can be found in all forest layers, from 3-meter-deep soil (e.g., some mites or insect larvae) to the tops of trees. These include various ecological groups, among that particularly rich in species are decomposers, which are essential to the turnover of organic matter and forest growth. Forests are also suitable habitats for many predators, parasites, and pests, some of the latter with great economic importance. Discovering and understanding the arthropod diversity are essential to maintaining healthy and well-managed forests.

The high degree of arthropod diversity in forests is related, among other things, to diverse forest microhabitats, and the diversity of forest types on a local and global scale. This diversity is, however, threatened by various environmental factors, including climate change, acid rain and environmental pollution, forest management practices (e.g., pest control, clear-cuts, monocultures), introduction of invasive species, and fires.

This Special Issue invites both original research and review papers that contribute to our knowledge of forest arthropod fauna. Presenting different approaches and methods and outlining the most important problems are essential to indicating directions for future research.

Dr. Anna Seniczak
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Insecta
Arachnida
Myriapoda
Isopoda
Protura
Diplura
species richness
forest microhabitats
alpha, beta, and gamma diversity
ecological factors affecting diversity

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2164 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Geographical Differentiation of Mites from the Suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) in Dead Wood in Europe in the Light of Recent Research

by Jerzy Błoszyk, Agnieszka Napierała, Marta Kulczak and Michał Zacharyasiewicz

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 646; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050646 - 10 May 2023

Viewed by 1480

Abstract

Dead wood is an important microhabitat for Uropodina mites (Acari: Mesostigmata). Earlier research has shown that dead wood contains about 1/3 of the Uropodina found so far in Poland, and its presence increases the overall biodiversity of forest ecosystems by 40%. The major aim of the current study is to assess the geographical variation of species diversity of Uropodina inhabiting dead wood in Poland and other European countries. The samples from dead wood (1180 samples in total) were collected in seven provinces in Poland, and in eight other countries (France, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark). Fifty-two Uropodina species were recovered from dead wood in seven provinces in Poland. The highest number of species was recorded in dead wood samples collected in Wielkopolskie, and the lowest in those from Zachodniopomorskie. The total number of species in the examined dead wood in the surveyed European countries was 24 species, ranging from 4 to 13 species per country. The most common species in the examined material from both Poland and other studied European countries were Oodinychus ovalis (C.L. Koch, 1839) and Pulchellaobovella pulchella (Berlese, 1904), though the frequency of the other species found in those areas was low. The differences in species diversity of the examined fauna of Uropodina probably result in the difference in the extent of the research carried out so far in some regions of Poland, lack of sufficient data for other European countries, as well as the highly diversified geographical ranges of most Uropodina species. The obtained results clearly show that there is still a need for further, more extensive research, based on a larger number of samples from dead wood from the whole continent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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21 pages, 15156 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Natural Land Cover, Anthropogenic Disturbance, Space, and Climate on Oribatid Mite Communities in Canada’s Oil Sands Region

by Lisa M. Lumley, Ermias T. Azeria, Victoria A. Giacobbo and Tyler P. Cobb

Diversity 2023, 15(4), 469; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040469 - 23 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2517

Abstract

Soil contains a diverse fauna and microflora that are vital for maintaining healthy soils and their various ecosystem services. Oribatid mites are typically highly abundant arthropods in the soil and are used as indicators for environmental monitoring. The aim of this study was to determine oribatid mite community response to natural land cover, anthropogenic disturbance, space, and climate in the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada. Our results found that oribatid mite total abundance was significantly reduced by mining, cultivation, and well sites. Species richness was significantly reduced by mining and cultivation. Shannon’s diversity index was significantly higher for all natural land cover types, seismic lines, and forest harvest. Additionally, species diversity was lower under the relative influence of energy-related soft linear disturbances than for naturally vegetated sites and forest harvesting, and was lowered further by anthropogenic disturbances with more impact on soil integrity (cultivation, mines, urban/industrial, road/trail verges, well sites). Abundance, richness, and diversity also increased with increased frost free period and with eastward longitude. Mite community composition included a notable composition difference between lowland habitats and upland forest types, and between natural land cover and intense anthropogenic disturbance types (e.g., mines, cultivation). Our study highlighted oribatid mite communities’ response to natural land cover, anthropogenic disturbance and spatial–climatic factors assessed over broad spatial scales and the potential utility of oribatid mites as ecosystem health indicators under multiple ecological drivers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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30 pages, 10333 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Leaf Litter Curculionidae (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) in Two Ecuadorian Tropical Forests

by Oscar Maioglio, Cristiana Cerrato, Cesare Bellò and Massimo Meregalli

Diversity 2022, 14(10), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100871 - 15 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2297

Abstract

Litter weevil communities were investigated in two different types of montane forest in Ecuador: foothill evergreen forest, present in the Otongachi Integral Reserve between 800 and 1000 m, and tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), present in the Otonga Integral Reserve between 1600 and 2300 m. Sampling was conducted along elevation gradients, applying the entomological sifting method to 19 sampling transects (11 in Otonga and 8 in Otongachi). The taxa collected were identified as morphospecies, since the majority of them are still undescribed. A total of 510 specimens were sampled, belonging to 100 different morphospecies, 85 of which were found in Otonga and 15 in Otongachi. No species in common between the two areas were found, despite the fact that the distance is extremely small (approximately 12 km). The Otonga area, regardless of primary or secondary forest habitats, had higher mean species richness. In both areas, the majority of species were found in a small number of stations and were sampled in a small number of specimens. A dominant and ubiquitous species was present only in Otongachi. The analysis of the community composition was carried out according to different categories of environmental variables (Otonga vs. Otongachi, forest type, elevation, litter and canopy coverage characteristics). Two well-differentiated coenoses were found, influenced firstly by the differences between the two reserves, secondarily by the elevation gradient and, to a lesser extent, by the forest type and other environmental variables. Some morphospecies characteristic of a specific type of biocoenosis could be identified. The study highlighted how most litter weevil species are strictly associated with a peculiar microhabitat and have a very narrow elevation and spatial range; the weevil communities can be strongly affected by heavy human impact. The results confirm that the tropical forests, in particular the TMCFs, host great biodiversity and that the majority of species are strictly associated with a single site; therefore, particular protection for these habitats should be granted. However, the non-significant variation between primary and secondary TMCFs indicates that, when correct management is carried out, a limited disturbance can be tolerated with only a limited loss of biodiversity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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34 pages, 10353 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What’s Inside the Hole? A Review of European Dendrolimnetic Moth Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae)

by Santiago Jaume-Schinkel, Alessio Morelli, Gunnar Mikalsen Kvifte and Ximo Mengual

Diversity 2022, 14(7), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14070532 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3329

Abstract

We conducted an extensive literature review in search of records of dendrolimnetic Psychodinae, with additional field sampling of the European species of Psychodinae associated with water-filled tree holes. After checking more than 100 publications, only 11 specific published records involving dendrolimnetic Psychodinae were found. Our results show that six genera, represented by 13 species of Psychodinae, are associated with 13 species of plant trees. As a result of our field sampling, we report Lepiseodina latipennis (Sarà, 1953) and Telmatoscopus bartai (Ježek, 2004) comb. nov. for the first time in Germany. Furthermore, we redescribe L. latipennis based on freshly collected material with a closer examination of the holotype. Derived from our findings, we review the genera Lepiseodina Enderlein, 1937 and Telmatoscopus Eaton, 1904, providing an identification key for the males of both genera. In addition, we synonymyze Krivosheinoscopus Ježek, 2001 syn. nov. under Telmatoscopus, changing combination of Telmatoscopus ussuricus (Ježek, 2001) comb. nov. and Telmatoscopus bartai (Ježek, 2004), additionally, we change combination and a sononymy of Tematoscopus wagneri (Salmanna, 1982) comb. et syn. nov. under Telmatoscopus advena (Eaton, 1893). Furthermore, we describe for the first time the female and eggs of Telmatoscopus advena. Moreover, we provide the first published DNA barcodes (COI) for Telmatoscopus bartai, Lepiseodina latipennis (Sarà, 1953), Lepiseodina rothschildi (Eaton, 1912), and Lepiseodina tristis (Meigen, 1830). Finally, we also discuss the taxonomy and ecology of the European dendrolimnetic species of the subfamily Psychodinae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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20 pages, 4605 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is Biodiversity of Uropodina Mites (Acari: Parasitiformes) Inhabiting Dead Wood Dependent on the Tree Species?

by Michał Zacharyasiewicz, Agnieszka Napierała, Przemysław Kurek, Kamila Grossmann and Jerzy Błoszyk

Diversity 2021, 13(12), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13120609 - 24 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2195

Abstract

The article presented here is the continuation of a study on the importance of dead wood for the biodiversity of the Uropodina (Acari: Parasitiformes) communities inhabiting dead wood. The major aim of this study is to check whether the species of tree can have any impact on the species composition and abundance of uropodine mite communities inhabiting dead wood. The next aim of the study is to test the following hypotheses: (1) Uropodina exhibit preferences for certain tree species; and (2) communities differ depending on the region and time of the samples collection. The material for the analysis consists of samples from different types of dead wood merocenoses and 37 species of trees, and were collected across the whole area of Poland. More Uropodina species were collected from the dead wood of broadleaved species than from coniferous species. The tree species in which communities of the studied mites were the richest were beech, oak, pine, spruce, linden, and hornbeam. The analysis of habitat preferences of Uropodina mites for particular tree species has revealed that none of the analyzed mite species did not occur in the dead wood samples from all tree species. Another important result is that the mite communities found in the samples from the same tree species remained similar in each decade of the research. The results also show that the communities of Uropodina inhabiting dead wood of the same tree species in different regions of Poland had different species composition, which stems from differences in the range of occurrence of these mites species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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15 pages, 2020 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Forest Pool as a Habitat Island for Mites in a Limestone Forest in Southern Norway

by Anna Seniczak, Stanisław Seniczak, Radomir Graczyk, Sławomir Kaczmarek, Bjarte H. Jordal, Jarosław Kowalski, Per Djursvoll, Steffen Roth and Thomas Bolger

Diversity 2021, 13(11), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13110578 - 12 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2673

Abstract

Forest water bodies, e.g., pools, constitute ‘environmental islands’ within forests, with specific flora and fauna thus contributing considerably to the landscape biodiversity. The mite communities of Oribatida and Mesostigmata in two distinctive microhabitats, water-soaked Sphagnum mosses at the edge of a pool and other mosses growing on the medium-wet forest floor nearby, were compared in a limestone forest in Southern Norway. In total, 16,189 specimens of Oribatida representing 98 species, and 499 specimens of Mesostigmata, from 23 species, were found. The abundance and species number of Oribatida were significantly lower at the pool, while the abundance and species richness of Mesostigmata did not differ. Both the communities of Oribatida and of Mesostigmata differed among the microhabitats studied and analysis showed significant differences between the community structures in the two microhabitats. The most abundant oribatid species in Sphagnum mosses was Parachipteria fanzagoi (Jacot, 1929), which made up over 30% of all Oribatida, followed by Atropacarus striculus (C.L. Koch, 1835) and Tyrphonothrus maior (Berlese, 1910) (14% and 12% of Oribatida, respectively). Among Mesostigmata Paragamasus parrunciger (Bhattacharyya, 1963) dominated (44% of Mesostigmata), followed by P. lapponicus (Trägårdh, 1910) (14% of Mesostigmata). Most of these species, except P. lapponicus, were either absent or very uncommon in the other microhabitat studied. The specific acarofauna of the forest pool shows the importance of such microhabitats in increasing forest diversity. In addition, a quarter of the mite species found had not been reported from Norwegian broadleaf forests before, including five new species records for Norway and four new to Fennoscandia, all found in the medium-wet microhabitat. Most of these species are rarely collected and have their northernmost occurrence in the studied forest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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15 pages, 1470 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dead Wood as an Element Enriching Biodiversity of Forest Ecosystems: A Case Study Based on Mites from the Suborder Uropodina (Acari: Parasitiformes)

by Jerzy Błoszyk, Tomasz Rutkowski, Agnieszka Napierała, Szymon Konwerski and Michał Zacharyasiewicz

Diversity 2021, 13(10), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13100476 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2448

Abstract

The importance of dead wood in forest ecosystems for the existence of invertebrates has been widely discussed in the literature. The major aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that the presence of dead wood in forests considerably increases the species diversity of Uropodina (Acari: Parasitiformes) communities in a given area. The areas selected for the study are unique from a natural point of view. They are the Białowieża Primeval Forest, Cisy Staropolskie im. Leona Wyczółkowskiego Nature Reserve, and five oak-hornbeam nature reserves in western Poland. The study is based on materials collected since the 1960s of the last century. The highest number of species (37) both in soil and dead wood microhabitats was recorded in the Białowieża Primeval Forest and Cisy Staropolskie Nature Reserve, though the dead wood material from the second area contained the highest number of species (33). The results of the analysis show that the presence of dead wood increases species diversity of Uropodina communities in all locations under scrutiny. Moreover, dead wood increases the species diversity of Uropodina communities by attracting rare and stenotopic species, and therefore leaving dead trees in forests is extremely important for the habitat protection of these species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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31 pages, 2399 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Arthropod Fauna of Oak (Quercus spp., Fagaceae) Canopies in Norway

by Karl H. Thunes, Geir E. E. Søli, Csaba Thuróczy, Arne Fjellberg, Stefan Olberg, Steffen Roth, Carl-C. Coulianos, R. Henry L. Disney, Josef Starý, G. (Bert) Vierbergen, Terje Jonassen, Johannes Anonby, Arne Köhler, Frank Menzel, Ryszard Szadziewski, Elisabeth Stur, Wolfgang Adaschkiewitz, Kjell M. Olsen, Torstein Kvamme, Anders Endrestøl, Sigitas Podenas, Sverre Kobro, Lars O. Hansen, Gunnar M. Kvifte, Jean-Paul Haenni and Louis Boumans Show full author list Hide full author list

Diversity 2021, 13(7), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13070332 - 19 Jul 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5256

Abstract

(1) We document the invertebrate fauna collected from 24 oak canopies in east and west Norway as a contribution to the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre’s ‘The Norwegian Taxonomy Initiative’. (2) A snap-shot inventory of the canopies was recorded by means of emitting a mist of natural pyrethrum into the canopies at night using a petrol-driven fogger and collecting the specimens in butterfly nets spread on the ground under the canopy. (3) Almost the entire catch of more than 6800 specimens was identified to 722 species. Out of 92 species new to the Norwegian fauna, 21 were new to science and, additionally, 15 were new to the Nordic fauna. Diptera alone constituted nearly half of the species represented, with 61 new records (18 new species). Additionally, 24 Hymenoptera (one new species), six oribatid mites (two new species) and one Thysanoptera were new to the Norwegian fauna. (4) Our study emphasizes the importance of the oak tree as a habitat both for a specific fauna and occasional visitors, and it demonstrates that the canopy fogging technique is an efficient way to find the ‘hidden fauna’ of Norwegian forests. The low number of red listed species found reflects how poor the Norwegian insect fauna is still studied. Moreover, the implication of the IUCN red list criteria for newly described or newly observed species is discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods Associated with Forest Soil and Wood)

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