Art 85
Art 85
1, 2022
ISSN 2285-5750; ISSN CD-ROM 2285-5769; ISSN Online 2393-2260; ISSN-L 2285-5750
Romanian Academy, Institute of Biology Bucharest, Department of Ecology, Taxonomy and Nature
Conservation, street Splaiul Independenţei, no. 296, zip code 0603100, PO-BOX 56-53, fax
040212219071, tel. 040212219202, Bucharest, Romania, e-mail: minodoramanu@gmail.com,
ciprianbirsan@gmail.com, luizaschiriac@gmail.com and marilena.onete@gmail.com
Abstract
The objectives of the study were to assess and compare mite communities from the biggest urban area in Bucharest- Morii
Lake, in relation to the soil environmental variables (soil and air temperature; soil pH; soil and air moisture content;
soil penetration resistance) and the type of habitats/transects (park area, natural area-island, grassland). The study was
made in June 2017. For soil fauna, sixty soil samples were collected, using a MacFadyen core. Seventeen mite species
were identified, with 55 individuals. We observed that soil and air temperature, air humidity and soil acidity varied
highly significantly between the three transects. Soil temperature, soil moisture content, air humidity influenced
significantly the structural composition of the mite populations. Certain parameters were used: numerical abundance,
dominance, constancy, species diversity and equitability. Using these indices, we demonstrated that the transect T1-park
area offered the most favourable conditions, with the least favourable being T2-island. Acarological characterisation of
an urban green area in Bucharest, Romania, revealed that, even at the local scale, the type of habitat and environmental
variables influenced significantly the structural composition of the mite populations.
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investigated transect, the sampled area was 200
m2. Mites were extracted with a Berlese-
Tullgren funnel, in ethyl alcohol, clarified in
lactic acid and identified to species level, using
published identification keys (Ghilyarov &
Bregetova 1977; Hyatt, 1980; Karg, 1993;
Mašán, 2003; Mašán & Fendá, 2004; Mašán,
2007; Mašán et al., 2008; Mašán & Halliday,
2010, 2013; Özbek & Halliday, 2015). Some
specimens were mounted on permanent slides.
All species were deposited in the collection of
the Institute of Biology-Bucharest, Romanian
Figure 1. Geographical characterisation Academy- Research Station Posada. No
of the investigated area at Morii Lake, Bucharest- immature stages were identified, since these
Romania, in 2017
were missing from the soil samples.
Characterisation of vegetation type revealed the
Environmental variables
presence of the following dominant species:
In total, six environmental variables were
• in T1 (park area): Platanus x hispanica, quantified: a) within the soil (temperature –Tsoil;
Rumex sp., Capsella bursa-pastoris, Dactylis acidity-pH; moisture content- Hsoil; penetration
glomerata, Trifolium repens, Urtica dioica, resistance- RP); and b) 5 cm above the soil level
Silene latifolia subsp. alba. (temperature - Tair; air moisture content- Hair). In
• in T2 (island): Salix babylonica, Lolium total, 60 soil samples were analysed (20
perenne, Poa spp., Taraxacum sp., Cardaria samples/transect) in order to measure these
draba, Heracleum sphondylium, Prunus sp., abiotic factors. A digital thermo-hygrometer
Trifolium repens. PCE-310 was used to measure air and soil
• in T3 (grassland): Salix babylonica, Prunus moisture and temperature. Penetration resis-
sp., Capsella bursa-pastoris, Lolium perenne, tance was determined with a soil penetrometer,
Poa spp., Taraxacum sp., Cardaria draba, Step System GmbH, 41010. The pH was
Heracleum sphondylium, Trifolium repens. measured with a C532 Jasco Consort pH-meter.
Due to the homogeneity of the vegetation cover
Soil fauna (especially between samples of each transect),
In April 2017, sixty soil samples were collected, this parameter was not considered further
using a MacFadyen soil core (5 cm diameter) to (Figure 2 a, b, c). The average values of
10 cm depth. The samples were collected environmental variables are presented in table 1.
randomly (20 samples/transect). For each
a. b. c.
Figure 2. The vegetation aspect of each investigated transect, in Morii Lake-Bucharest
(a = transect T1-park area; b = transect T2- island; c = transects T3-grassland)
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Table 1. Average values of environmental variables from the investigated transects
at Morii Lake- Bucharest, 2017 (± SE)
Variables T1 T2 T3 p F
Tsoil (0C) 12.90 (± 0.21) 16.07 (± 0.48) 17.72 (± 0.31) <0.0001 46.72
RP (Mpa) 173.5 (± 6.03) 181.2 (± 5.98) 185 (± 9.83) 0.545 0.61
Hsoil (%) 10.65 (± 1.16) 10.68 (± 1.04) 13.36 (± 0.60) 0.084 2.58
Tair (0C) 24.1 (± 0.44) 28.66 (± 0.23) 26.66 (± 0.20) <0.0001 53.77
Hair (%) 63.8 (± 0.87) 55.8 (± 1.73) 56.8 (± 1.45) 0.000237 9.69
pH 8.58 (± 0.04) 8.33 (± 0.06) 8.59 (± 0.05) 0.001687 7.16
Applying the similarity indices in order to Analysing the relationship between environ-
highlight the affinity between mite communities mental variables and numerical abundance of
from the three transects, we observed that, based mite species, canonical correspondence analysis
on the presence/absence data, the Jaccard index demonstrated that soil temperature influenced
of similarity recorded highest values between Pergamasus laetus and the soil moisture content
invertebrate communities from T2 and T3 affected Parasitus beta, from T3 samples. Air
(j=0.25) and the lowest between T1 and T 2 (j= humidity was another factor that influenced
0.16) (Figure 3a). If we take into consideration Alliphis halleri, from T1 (Figure 4).
the abundance data, the Bray-Curtis index of Each transect was characterised by specific
similarity recorded the highest value between microclimatic conditions: T1 had the lowest
mite communities from T1 and T 2 (bc=0.54) average values of soil and air temperature, soil
and the lowest between T1 and T3 (bc=0.40) moisture content, soil resistance at penetration
(Figure 3b). and the highest average value of air humidity;
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T2 had the highest average values air much higher than some managed urban parks
temperature and the lowest average values of air (e.g. Cişmigiu, Unirea, Izvor, Carol, Plumbuita,
moisture content and soil acidity; in T3 some Floreasca, Văcăreşti with 3-10 species and with
environmental parameters had their highest 25-43 individuals) or lower than those from
average values i.e. soil temperature and air Tineretului and Fundeni areas (17-18 species
moisture content, soil resistance at penetration with 110-157 individuals) (Manu et al., 2018,
and soil pH. The habitat of T1 was described as 2021).
park, being managed as a green urban green area Comparing the number of Mesostigmata species
with mowing of the grass, and inputs of from urban habitats at European level, the value
allochthonous soil through tree-planting, at Morii Lake is comparable with that obtained
meaning external inputs of organic matter. in housing estates in Warsaw (18 species),
Transect T2 had an aspect of island, close to the higher than that in urban bamboo plantations
water of Morii lake (explaining the highest from urban green areas in Szada, Gödöllő,
average value of soil moisture content), and the Szeged and Budapest, Hungary (1-8 species)
habitat of T3 was a grazed grassland (with the and lower than either parks and the city centre in
driest soil and more compacted) (Grădinaru et Warsaw (22 and 39 species) or urban forest (28
al., 2018). species), greenery (32 species) and roadsides
(33 species) from Riga, Latvia (Niedbała et al.,
1982; Kontschán et al., 2015; Salmane, 2018).
Examining the number of species and the
numerical abundance within the three
investigated transects, we observed that T1 was
characterised by the highest value of species
diversity and number of individuals, whilst T2
had the lowest values of the two parameters.
This result was further confirmed by the values
of the Shannon index of diversity. Although the
soil moisture content in T1 had the lowest
a. b. average values, it is possible that it was still
suitable for development of mite communities
Figure 3. Indices of similarity (a- Jaccard; b- Bray-
Curtis) between mite communities from the three
due to the reduced soil resistance at penetration,
transects on Morii Lake, Bucharest 2017 to the highest average value of air moisture
content and to the reduced average value of air
temperature. Lower soil resistance at penetration
is correlated with larger values of organic
matter, which is one of the most important
abiotic factors for soil mites (Jones & Arp,
2017). Urban green areas were characterised by
an impervious surface, with differing radiative,
thermal, aerodynamic and moisture properties,
resulting in elevated air temperatures compared
to the adjacent ecosystems (Edmondson et al.,
Figure 4. Canonical correspondence analysis between 2016). Although Morii Lake is a wetland,
soil mite communities and environmental variables in frequent higher temperatures during summer
Morii Lake urban area, Bucharest 2017. The short names and autumn cause high evapotranspiration and
of species are listed in Table 2 water depletion at depth in the soil (Zaharia &
Găitănaru, 2018; Manu et al., 2021). Transect T2
Comparing the Morii Lake results with those on a peninsula had a microclimate that did not
from elsewhere in Romania, the total number of offer suitable environmental conditions for mite
species and individuals are closest to those fauna (i.e. lowest average values of soil and air
obtained in some unmanaged urban green areas moisture content and the highest average value
of Bucharest (e.g. Pantelimon, Băneasa, Griviţa of air temperature). Despite T3 being grazed
with 12-22 species and 48-49 individuals) or
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grassland, a more humid soil could be a ecosystems, but is often recorded in forests, in
favourable factor for the 7 species of mites, with habitats rich in organic matter (Manu et al.,
18 individuals. All transects were characterised 2013, 2015, 2021). In Bucharest, species
by accidental and accessory species, Alliphis halleri was found in three managed
demonstrating that these invertebrates are urban areas (Manu et al., 2021). In general, this
opportunistic and mobile, permanently species occurs in soil, leaf litter, dung and
searching for food, mainly as predators (Walter compost, where it appears to prey on nematodes
& Proctor, 2013; Klarner et al., 2013). (Halliday, 2019).
The most abundant species in the Morii Lake A more comprehensive study made in 2017, in
urban area were Hypoaspis aculeifer and eleven urban habitats from Bucharest, which
Rhodacarellus silesiacus. In acarological investigated the relation between the type of
studies, Hypoaspis aculeifer has been identified management, environmental variables and
in various types of habitat from sand dunes to structure of the soil mite communities, revealed
forest ecosystems. Rhodacarellus silesiacus has that in unmanaged green areas the values of the
been found mainly in anthropogenic community parameters (Shannon diversity,
ecosystems, being used as a good indicator for dominance and equitability) and the soil
the type of habitats, as well as for the ecological maturity index, were higher than those from
processes (as ecological succession) managed green areas (Manu et al., 2021). If we
(Kaczmarek et al., 2012; Manu et al., 2013, make a comparison at the small scale, the
2015; Santarufo et al., 2015). Considering their present study, concerning the soil mite
preferences for urban habitats, both species were communities from the largest urban area from
identified in managed and unmanaged green Bucharest, demonstrated that due to the higher
areas, as well as forests and meadows from anthropic impact from T3 (overgrazed
suburban ecosystems (Manu et al., 2015, 2018, grassland), due to the isolation of the transect T2
2021; Niedbała et al., 1982, 1990). Based on the (natural area-island) and due to the better
presence-absence of species (Jaccard index of environmental conditions from T1 (park), where
similarity), we observed that there was a high the area was irrigated, the results were reversed.
similarity between the mite communities from On the other hand, acarological study from three
the two habitats, island-T2 and grassland-T3 and types of managed green areas revealed that the
dissimilarity between invertebrates from urban species communities from metropolitan parks
area-T1 and island T2. These differences were richer than those from district parks. The
appeared due to the difference of climatic study showed different values in relation to
conditions (Table 1). Comparing the abundance environmental factors, demonstrating important
of mite communities in transects, through Bray- connections between mites and urban
Curtis index of similarity, we observed a high ecosystems, which are under anthropogenic
similarity between the invertebrates in T1 and pressure (Manu et al., 2021).
T2 and dissimilarity between T1 and T3. A All this analysis constitutes a valuable argument
significant factor influencing the abundance of in favour of the ecological study of the mite
mite communities was the soil resistance at communities on a small scale.
penetration which was lowest in T1, possibly
correlated with higher soil porosity and a higher CONCLUSIONS
quantity of organic matter (Jones & Arp, 2017).
Canonical correspondence analysis In order to assess and compare mite
demonstrated that three environmental communities from the Morii Lake urban area,
parameters influenced the distribution of three three transects where established, investigating
species: Pergamasus laetus (soil temperature), the taxonomic and compositional response of
Parasitus beta (soil moisture content) and mites to the type of urban habitat (park area,
Alliphis halleri (air humidity). Parasitus beta is natural area-island and grassland) and to
a predator species, widespread in soil, especially selected environmental variables i.e. soil and air
in grasslands, and found in managed and temperature; soil pH; soil and air moisture
unmanaged urban areas (Manu et al., 2021). content; soil penetration resistance. Each
Pergamasus laetus is not so common in urban transect was characterised by specific
625
environmental conditions, which varied Acarologist (pp. 23). Valencia, Spain: Book of
significantly between them. In total 17 mite Abstract.
Ghilyarov, M.S., Bregetova, N.G. (1977). Opredeliteľ
species were identified, with 55 individuals and obitayushchikh v pochve kleshcheĭ (Mesostigmata).
no immature stages. From the acarological point Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences:
of view, transect T1 offered the most suitable Petrograd. Russia.
conditions for development of mites, the least Giurgincă, A., Baba, S.C. & Munteanu, C.M. (2017). New
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Mesostigmata: Parasitidae) in the British Isles.
Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History)
Zoology, 38, 237-378.
This study was carried out within the framework Jones, M.F. & Arp, P.A. (2017). Relating cone penetration
of the projects: RO1567-IBB01/2021 from the and rutting resistance to variations in forest soil
Institute of Biology Bucharest, Romanian properties and daily moisture fluctuations. Open
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Mountford, from the UK Centre for Ecology and Marcysiak, K. (2012). Diversity of soil mite
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