Agroecological practices shaping soil mite biodiversity in Mediterranean vineyards
2026 - Volume: 66 Issue: Suppl pages: 113
https://doi.org/10.24349/cz5y-63ni
ICA 2026 - XVII International Congress of Acarology, 20-24 July 2026, Montpellier
Keywords
Soil mesofauna
Predatory mites (Mesostigmata)
Detritivorous mites (Oribatida)
Bioindicator
Cover crop
Abstract
Soil biodiversity is strongly affected by intensive agriculture, whereas agroecological approaches may help maintain and restore soil health. Among soil organisms, mites are sensitive bioindicators of soil health. In this study, we evaluated how crop management strategy (organic or conventional) and inter-row vegetation cover (permanent or temporary) shape the diversity of Oribatida and Mesostigmata mites in Mediterranean vineyards of Occitanie, France. In Autumn 2023, we sampled 30 plots, including 24 vineyards and 6 adjacent natural systems. Abundance, richness, and Shannon diversity of Oribatida and Mesostigmata mites were analyzed using generalized linear models. Mites represented 79% of all collected microarthropods, with Oribatida accounting for 49% (56 morphospecies and 37 families) and Mesostigmata for 11% (58 species and 15 families) of the specimens. Oribatida abundance, family richness, and diversity were all significantly influenced by crop management strategy and vegetation cover, with vineyards under permanent cover vegetation supporting values comparable to natural systems. Conventional vineyards and temporary covers vegetation presented a consisted negative impact on mite biodiversity, although organic vineyards reached diversity levels comparable to natural systems. In contrast, Mesostigmata abundance did not differ significantly among management types or covers vegetation (both p > 0.05), but species richness and diversity showed clear responses: both were reduced under conventional management and temporary cover, whereas organic management and permanent cover maintained values similar to those observed in natural systems. These results show that Oribatida and Mesostigmata provide complementary insights into soil biodiversity responses and reinforce that agroecological practices favor richer and more diverse mite communities in vineyard ecosystems.
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