Environmental drivers shape soil mite communities along succession, with limited links to litter decomposition in upper Andean tropical forests

作者：Dennis Castillo-Figueroa, Camilo Castillo-Avila · 发表于：Soil Ecology Letters · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1007/s42832-026-0489-1 · 研究领域：Study of Mite Species、Botany and Geology in Latin America and Caribbean、Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology

Abstract Mite composition varied among sites but was stable between wet and dry seasons. Succession altered mite composition but not abundance or richness. Microclimatic and edaphic factors drive mite communities, with group specific responses. Few associations between mites and litter decay rates were found. Mites exert a limited overall influence on decomposition in Andean montane forests. Mites contribute directly and indirectly to several ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, soil formation, litter decomposition, and biological control. Despite their importance, the processes driving mite community assembly remain poorly understood in tropical montane ecosystems, where mite composition is unique and environmental gradients are steep. Here, we examined the structure of mite communities, their ecological drivers, successional patterns, and their associations with litter decomposition in upper Andean tropical forests (UATF). We collected 168 soil samples (30 cm × 30 cm × 5 cm) across four climatic seasons (two wet, two dry) from 14 permanent plots in four UATF sites. Microclimatic data were recorded using dataloggers, forest and soil data were collected through field sampling and soil analysis, and decay rates of 15 plant species were measured using reciprocal litter experiments. In total, 1387 mites were collected, belonging to 31 families and 42 morphospecies. Mite communities varied markedly among sites but not between seasons, and were more abundant in the litter...