Arboreal and forest floor mites (Acari: Gamasida, Oribatida) found in the Tomakomai Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University, Hokkaido northern Japan

Takaku, G.; Sakaki, T.

Arboreal and forest floor mites (Acari: Gamasida, Oribatida) found in the Tomakomai Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University, Hokkaido northern Japan

2007

Takaku, G.(Hokkaido Univ. of Education, Sapporo (Japan)) | Sakaki, T.

This study looks at oribatid and gamasid fauna of arboreal habitats on the oak Quercus mongolica var. grosseserrata that has been enclosed by a scaffolding system as well as mite fauna of the forest floor surrounding an oak tree adjacent to the scaffolding system in cool-temperate forest in the Tomakomai Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, northern Japan. As part of this study we collected a total of 2,596 individuals from 61 species of gamasid mites, including 6 species recorded in Japan for the first time, and 8,640 individuals in 84 species of oribatid mites. Most of the collected gamasids and oribatids were ground dwellers and inhabited the forest floor, although we did collect several species that were only found in the bark or leaves in the forest canopy. Sorensen's coefficient index and complementarity between each site indicated that the mite fauna located on bark and leaves were actually distinct from forest floor fauna. These results suggest that species specific to bark and leaves utilize these as a permanent habitat. We also found that two species of the family Phytoseiidae could only be found in the canopy leaves and 3 species of oribatid mites primarily found on bark surfaces were dominant at a particular level of the trunk and canopy. We believe this specificity to certain heights and areas may be caused by a distribution of resources (prey and organic matter), bark structure, or abiotic factors on bark surface, although additional study is necessary for elucidating these issues further.

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