Compositional patterns in Holarcticpeat bog inhabiting oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) communities

Mumladze, Levan and Murvanidze, M and Behan-Pelletier, V (2013) Compositional patterns in Holarcticpeat bog inhabiting oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) communities. Pedobiologia, 56. pp. 41-48.

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Abstract

Soil inhabiting oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) are one of the most interesting groups of animals because of their ecological characteristics at the community level. However, existing knowledge does not provide comprehensive explanations of the mechanisms underlying their community or metacommunity struc- ture. The aim of this study is to investigate peat bog inhabiting oribatid mite metacommunity distribution throughout the Holarctic region. Species incidence data was collected (mainly from published sources) for 46 peat bog localities, comprising a total of 410 species. Characteristics of species composition (coherence, turnover and boundary clumping) were analyzed to reveal patterns of peat bog oribatid metacommu- nity for different ecological guilds. We also applied correlation and regression analysis to detect whether peat bog oribatid communities show latitudinal gradient and distance decay in compositional similar- ity. Analysis of metacommunity structure showed non-random structure for all ecological guilds studied with dominating nested and Clementsian patterns. No significant evidence was found for latitudinal gra- dients in species composition whereas non-linear distance decay in compositional similarity is a common phenomenon for peat bog oribatid communities. We discuss these metacommunity patterns within the framework of existing hypotheses and conclude that the community level structure for peat bog oribatid species is largely determined by interspecific interactions and common biogeographical history, whereas metacommunity patterns are the result of postglacial colonization processes

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > Ecology Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions:	Institutes > Institute of Ecology
Depositing User:	Dr ლევან მუმლაძე
Date Deposited:	23 Mar 2016 07:25
Last Modified:	23 Mar 2016 07:25
URI:	http://eprints.iliauni.edu.ge/id/eprint/4306

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