Oribatid Mites as Inhabitants of Lichens in the Taiga Zone of Northeastern Europe: Biotopic Association and Ecological G
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Oribatid Mites as Inhabitants of Lichens in the Taiga Zone of Northeastern Europe: Biotopic Association and Ecological Groups of Species E. N. Melekhina* Institute of Biology, Komi Scientific Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, 167982 Russia *e-mail: [email protected] Received November 12, 2018; revised November 18, 2019; accepted February 14, 2020
Abstract—The ground (Cladina arbuscula, C. rangiferina, C. stellaris, Cetraria islandica) and epiphytic (Hypogymnia physodes and Bryoria subcana) lichens in taiga forests of the European Northeast were examined as habitats of oribatid mites. In total, in different species of lichens, 55 species of oribatids from 30 families were found. Five ecological groups of oribatid mites as inhabitants of lichens were identified. It was found that the specificity of the oribatid mite population in epiphytic lichens consisted of dominant arboricolic species also not numerous arboricolic species. Dominant hemiedaphic species and not numerous hemiedaphic species were characteristic of ground lichens. The arboricolic‒hemiedaphic group includes species that live in both ground and epiphytic lichens. The ecologically vicariating species in relation to epiphytes were identified; these are species of the genera Carabodes, Mycobates, Oribatula, and Phauloppia. DOI: 10.1134/S1062359020050064
INTRODUCTION Oribatid mites are permanent and numerous inhabitants of the lichen and moss cover on trees (Trave, 1963; Biazrov, 1988; Melekhina and Biazrov, 1997), soil, stones, and coastal rocks (Gjelstrup and Søchting, 1979; Coloff, 1983; Niemi and Vilkamaa, 1988; Tarba, 1992). Complexes of species associated with lichens as habitats have been determined in various regions (Strenzke, 1952; Pschorn-Walcher and Gunhold, 1957; Andre, 1975, 1979, 1984, 1985; Seyd, 1988; Seyd and Seaward, 1984). Oribatids were considered as components of lichen consortia (Trave, 1963; Biazrov et al., 1971). The biotopic preferences of oribatid mites living in lichens of different life forms, growing on different substrates in various plant communities, have been studied (Biazrov and Melekhina, 1992, 1994; Melekhina and Biazrov, 1997; Shtanchaeva, 1997). Oribatid mites—inhabitants of epiphytic lichens—were presented as bioindicators of radioactive contamination of natural ecosystems (Melekhina and Krivolutsky, 1993). In the taiga zone, lichens play a significant part in the composition of forest biocenoses and are distinguished by the diversity of species (Pystina, 2003). Data were obtained on the taxonomic composition and distribution characteristics of oribatid mites in lichens of various species and life forms (Melekhina, 2000, 2001).
The purpose of this work is to analyze the taxonomic diversity and biotopic preferences of oribatid mites living in lichens and to identify complexes of species associated with soil cover lichens and epiphytic lichens in the coniferous forests of the taiga zone of northeastern Europe. MATERIALS AND METHODS Studies were conducted in the vicinity of the villa
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