The Influence of Land Management on Soil Mite (Acari: Oribatida, Prostigmata, and Mesostigmata) Communities as Bioindicators for Environmental Conditions

As a soil-living organism, soil mite presence is important for ensuring sustainable land. Intensive management practices on forest land drive a change in its community structure. A field study was conducted in Wanagama the role and impact of the different forest management practices on the soil mite community. Soil samples from 15 representative soil sites were taken from the agroforestry, mixed-forest, and pioneer community forests. Collected individuals from August to October 2021 were taken by Berlese-Tullgenn Funnel and identified to morphospecies level. A total of 758 individuals of soil mites were recorded during the study period. Out of these, 21 individuals are from agroforestry, 288 individuals are from mixed-forest, and 449 individuals are from pioneer community forests. The results of the study revealed the occurrence of 3 taxa from 36 morphospecies of oribatid mites occurred in the area. The Shannon diversity indices of oribatid mites were 1.831, 1.424, and 0.867 in mixed-forest, agroforestry, and pioneer communities, respectively. The similarity indices showed there was a similar diversity in agroforestry and mixed-forest, either in pioneer communities. Through one-way ANOVA analysis, we stated that differences between of three management practices significantly affected soil mites, especially oribatida, rather than prostigmata and mesostigmata.