Josef Starý

Soil biota and upper soil layer development in two contrasting post-mining chronosequences

Abstract Density and community composition of a wide spectrum of soil organisms (fungi, algae, testate amoebae, nematodes, enchytraeids, lumbricids, oribatid mites, diplopods, terrestrial isopods, collembolans and dipteran larvae), direct counts of bacteria, rate of cellulose decomposition and microstructure of upper soil layers were studied in two chronosequences of plots reclaimed from open-cast coal mining near Cottbus (Germany) and near Sokolov (Czech Republic). German plots were characterized by acidic sandy soils and afforested with pine, while the Czech plots possessed alkaline clay soils and were afforested with alder. In both chronosequences, density and species richness in most of investigated groups of soil biota gradually increased with increasing succession age. Typical pioneer species were found in initial stands of both chronosequences. Nevertheless, the initial stands supported poorer assemblages of soil biota in the Cottbus area than did those in the Sokolov area. The Cottbus area was characterized by a moor type of humus and by gradual uniform increase of abundances and species numbers of most studied groups of soil biota. On the contrary, moder type of humus and a more variable pattern of soil biota development during the course of succession were found in the Sokolov area. Slower development of soil biota in initial stages of succession in Cottbus is caused by unfavourable physical and chemical conditions of heap substrates, and by lower input and poor quality of litter in pine plantations.

Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of the maritime Antarctic and Antarctic Peninsula

Eleven species of oribatid mites are reported from 26 maritime Antarctic islands. The oribatid faunas of Fredriksen, Atriceps (South Orkney Is.), Cockburn, Seymour, Vega, Brabant, Adelaide, Lagoon, Leonie, Horseshoe, Alexander Islands and Peter I Oy were studied for the first time. Austroppia crozetensis (Richters, 1908) and Magellozetes processus Hammer, 1962 are first records for the Antarctic Region. Halozetes belgicae longiseta Wallwork, 1967 is a new record for the South Orkney Is., Edwardzetes dentifer Hammer, 1962, is new for the South Shetland Is., Magellozetes processus Hammer, 1962 is new for Graham Land whilst Globoppia loxolineata longipilosa Covarrubias, 1968 and Magellozetes antarcticus (Michael, 1895) are new records for Palmer Land. The distribution patterns of the 11 species of oribatid mites are figured and their zoogeographical relationships are discussed.

Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of South Georgia, South Atlantic

Twenty-one species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida), including three new species, are reported from samples collected on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. Fossonothrus wallworki n.sp., Lanceoppia elegantula n.sp. and Edwardzetes australis n.sp. are described and figured. Ten additional species, recorded previously, provides a total of 31 species for the island.

Soil Food Web Changes during Spontaneous Succession at Post Mining Sites: A Possible Ecosystem Engineering Effect on Food Web Organization?

Parameters characterizing the structure of the decomposer food web, biomass of the soil microflora (bacteria and fungi) and soil micro-, meso- and macrofauna were studied at 14 non-reclaimed 1– 41-year-old post-mining sites near the town of Sokolov (Czech Republic). These observations on the decomposer food webs were compared with knowledge of vegetation and soil microstructure development from previous studies. The amount of carbon entering the food web increased with succession age in a similar way as the total amount of C in food web biomass and the number of functional groups in the food web. Connectance did not show any significant changes with succession age, however. In early stages of the succession, the bacterial channel dominated the food web. Later on, in shrub-dominated stands, the fungal channel took over. Even later, in the forest stage, the bacterial channel prevailed again. The best predictor of fungal bacterial ratio is thickness of fermentation layer. We argue that these changes correspond with changes in topsoil microstructure driven by a combination of plant organic matter input and engineering effects of earthworms. In early stages, soil is alkaline, and a discontinuous litter layer on the soil surface promotes bacterial biomass growth, so the bacterial food web channel can dominate. Litter accumulation on the soil surface supports the development of the fungal channel. In older stages, earthworms arrive, mix litter into the mineral soil and form an organo-mineral topsoil, which is beneficial for bacteria and enhances the bacterial food web channel.

Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic and their zoogeographical relationships

A total of 21 species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) are recorded from heat-extracted samples of soil and plant material collected in the Falkland Is., South Atlantic. Previous records of a further 11 species provide a total of 32 species. The distribution of each non-endemic species recorded from the Falkland Is. is figured. The oribatid mite fauna of these islands belongs to the Neotropical Region with strong sub-Antarctic elements and some similarities with New Zealand.

Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of Beauchêne Island, Falklands, South Atlantic

A total of 12 species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) are reported from Beauchene Island, including two new species. Furcobates lewissmithi n. sp. and Oribatella blocki n. sp. are described and figured.

New and little known species of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Costa Rica

Two new species of the family Phthiracaridae, Austrophthiracarus amus sp. nov. and Arphthicarus clavatus sp. nov., are described and figured from forest soils in various parts of Costa Rica. A comparison of morphological similarities with the most closely related species is also presented. Two species, Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) pusilla and Ar. inelegans, are redescribed and figured. The tritonymphs of the species M. (M.) pusilla are described for the first time. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:01FC7F45-33E0-4911-B473-0E4486B3D7AD

Three new species of the family Phthiracaridae (Acari, Oribatida) from Bolivia

Three new species of the family Phthiracaridae, Austrophthiracarus longisetosus sp. nov., Phthiracarus allocotos sp. nov., Protophthiracarus amboroensis sp. nov. from Bolivia are described and figured. A comparison of morphological similarities with the most closely related species is presented. Additional descriptions and taxonomical notes for three ptyctimous species: Acrotritia peruensis (Hammer, 1961), Acrotritia vestita (Berlese, 1913), and Steganacarus (Rhacaplacarus) sedecimus Niedbała, 2004 are added. A list of twenty six ptyctimous species from Bolivia is presented, ten of these species are new records for the fauna of Bolivia. A key to all species of ptyctimous mites of Bolivia is presented.

New species of the superfamily Euphthiracaroidea (Acari: Oribatida) from Madagascar and Tanzania

Five new species of the family Euphthiracaridae are described, identified and figured from the Afrotropical region: Oribotritia breviseta sp. nov. from Andasibe National Park of Madagascar; Acrotritia paraardua sp. nov. from Vohimana Experimental Reserve, Ambohitanely Special Reserve and Andasibe National Park of Madagascar; Acrotritia paradikra sp. nov. from Ranomafana National Park and Ankarafantsika National Park of Masagascar; Microtritia diaphoros sp. nov. from the Nguru Mountains of Tanzania; and Microtritia parahauseri sp. nov from the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania. A comparison with the most closely related species of the genera Oribotritia, Acrotritia and Microtritia is also presented. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7965FE4C-0AF8-49C4-B894-75D4EFD049BB

Two new species of the genus Pergalumna (Acari, Oribatida, Galumnidae) from Northern Vietnam

Abstract Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Pergalumna (Oribatida, Galumnidae) are described from the Tam Dao National Park of Northern Vietnam. Pergalumna kunsti sp. nov. differs from P. magnipora xishuangbanna Aoki & Hu, 1993 by the larger body size, barbed bothridial setae, peanut-shell shaped notogastral porose areas Aa, lamellar setae longer than interlamellar setae and smooth genital plates. Pergalumna storkani sp. nov. differs from P. paratsurusakii Ermilov, Shtanchaeva, Kaluz & Subias, 2013 by the larger body size, rounded rostrum, strong and erect adanal setae ad2, lamellar setae longer than interlamellar setae, and the absence of a median pore.