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Comparison of Earthworms (Lumbricidae) and Oribatid Mite (Acari, Oribatida) Communities in Natural and Urban Ecosystems

Murvanidze, M. and Kvavadze, E. and Mumladze, Levan and Arabuli, T. (2011) Comparison of Earthworms (Lumbricidae) and Oribatid Mite (Acari, Oribatida) Communities in Natural and Urban Ecosystems. Vestnik Zoologii, 45 (4). e16-e24.

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Abstract

This study investigates earthworm and oribatid mite communities in urban, semi-natural and natural ecosystems of Tbilisi (Georgia). Ten species of earthworms and 100 species of oribatid mites were registered in 45 soil sam- ples. Two species of oribatid mites, Microzetes auxilaris Grandjean, 1936 and Multioppia laniseta Moritz, 1966, are new for the Caucasian fauna. We hypothesized that species number and abundance of inver- tebrate animals tend to decrease from natural to urban ecosystems. The hypothesis was supported only partially. Number of species of oribatid mites and earthworms decreased together with increase of urbanization, whereas abundance showed no significant changes due to high density of stress tolerant and ubiquitous species in urban sites. Accordingly, species abundance is considered to have minor indicato- ry value. Our studies support ecological �time-hypothesis� in a way that older (natural) sites were pre- sented with more diverse fauna than recent (urban) ones. Statistical analyses showed that studied ecosys- tems should be grouped in two rather than three categories: in urban and natural ones.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Tbilisi,earthworms,ecological, oribatid mites,urbanisation
Subjects: Q Science > Evolution
Divisions: Institutes > Institute of Ecology
Institutes > Institute of Zoology
Depositing User: Dr ლევან მუმლაძე
Date Deposited: 23 Mar 2016 07:26
Last Modified: 23 Mar 2016 07:26
URI: http://eprints.iliauni.edu.ge/id/eprint/4310

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