Succession of soil oribatid mites associated with a decomposing carcass
2026 - Volume: 66 Issue: Suppl pages: 237
https://doi.org/10.24349/d4y7-7lu5
ICA 2026 - XVII International Congress of Acarology, 20-24 July 2026, Montpellier
Keywords
Oribatid mites
Carrion decomposition
Soil fauna
Community succession
Microhabitat
Abstract
Decomposition of carcasses represents a temporary but resource-rich microhabitat that can significantly influence soil communities. Insects associated with carrion have been studied extensively, but soil microarthropods, especially oribatid mites, have received much less attention. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the abundance and species composition of soil oribatid mite communities beneath a decomposing carcass during different stages of decomposition and to compare these communities with those occurring in the surrounding undisturbed soil. Soil samples were collected across five successive stages of vertebrate carcass (Sus scrofa domesticus) decomposition. Sampling was conducted beneath two parts of the carcass (head and posterior region) and compared with control samples taken from nearby soil unaffected by direct decomposition processes. Extracted mites were identified to species level and analyzed in terms of abundance and community composition. In total, 426 individuals representing to 18 families and 33 species of Oribatida were recorded. Although overall abundance did not show pronounced fluctuations among decomposition stages, notable shifts in species composition were observed throughout the decomposition process. Clear differences were also detected between samples taken directly beneath the carcass and those from the control environment. Several species, including Ramusella insculpta (Paoli, 1908) and Suctobelbella subcornigera (Oudemans, 1916), were more abundant in later stages of decomposition and particularly in samples collected directly beneath the carcass. This pattern suggests their ability to exploit microhabitats enriched with decomposing organic matter and associated microbial activity. In contrast, the species Tectocepheus velatus sarekensis Trägårdh, 1910, which dominated the control samples, gradually decreased in abundance beneath the carcass, indicating a preference for more stable soil conditions. The highest species diversity was recorded during the final stage of decomposition, when the carcass had reached an advanced stage of decay and the soil environment became more suitable for colonization by additional species. These findings suggest that decomposing carcasses can influence soil oribatid mite assemblages by creating localized microhabitats with altered ecological conditions. Understanding these patterns may contribute to a broader ecological understanding of carrion decomposition processes in soil ecosystems.
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