Effects of forest gap formation and deadwood enrichment on oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) vary between regions

作者：André Junggebauer, Nele M. Gericke, Luisa K. Krakau, Sarah L. Bluhm, Mark Maraun, Melanie M. Pollierer, Stefan Scheu · 发表于：Forest Ecology and Management · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122015 · 被引用次数：18 · 研究领域：Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies、Study of Mite Species、Forest Insect Ecology and Management

Most forests in Central Europe are subject to human management, especially timber harvesting, which alters soil conditions by creating gaps in the forest canopy and reduces the availability of deadwood. However, consequences of these management practices, in particular the combined effect of gap formation and deadwood removal, have been largely neglected. Here, we investigated the abundance, diversity and community composition of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in forests where deadwood availability and gap formation were manipulated in a full factorial design (Control, Gap, Deadwood, Gap + Deadwood). Forest gaps of about 30 m in diameter were established by felling trees, which were subsequently removed (Gap) or left on site as deadwood (Gap + Deadwood). Nearby forest sites without gaps were enriched with the equal amount of felled trees (Deadwood) or left untreated (Control). Experimental treatments were established at 29 forest sites including deciduous and coniferous stands in three regions of Germany, i.e. the Swabian Alb, Hanich-Dün and Schorfheide-Chorin in the south, center and north, respectively. One year after establishment of the treatments, we sampled 10,777 individuals and 104 species of oribatid mites. Deadwood addition significantly increased the density of oribatid mites in the Hainich-Dün from 24,036 to 46,658 ind. m - ². Specifically, species of Oppiidae with relatively short life cycles and high reproductive output benefited from the additional deadwood ...