TY  - JOUR
JF  - Acarologia
T1  - Structure and diversity of soil mite communities in agroecosystems and a natural habitat of the eastern Mitidja (Algeria)
VL  - 66
IS  - Suppl
SP  - 43
EP  - 43
PY  - 2026
SN  - 0044-586X
SN  - 2107-7207
PB  - Les Amis d'Acarologia
AU  - Soumeya, Fekkoun
AU  - Mounira, Khedraoui
AU  - Soumeya, Fekkoun
AU  - Mounira, Khedraoui
UR  - https://doi.org/10.24349/oq0c-g6b5
DO  - 10.24349/oq0c-g6b5
DA  - 2026-07-20
ET  - 2026-07-20
KW  - Soil mites
KW  - Biodiversity
KW  - Natural habitat
KW  - Agroecosystems
KW  - Algeria
AB  - This study aims to assess the biodiversity of soil mite communities in the eastern part of the Mitidja plain (Algeria) by comparing two types of environments: a natural habitat represented by an abandoned plot at the National Higher School of Agronomy (ENSA) and a cultivated habitat represented by two vegetable crops (zucchini and eggplant) located in the Heuraoua station. The study was carried out between December 2020 and May 2021 in two stations: Heuraoua (Aïn Taya) (36°46'N, 3°19'E) and ENSA. The Heuraoua station includes greenhouses cultivated with zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L., 1753) and a one-hectare open field cultivated with eggplant (Solanum melongena L., 1753). During each sampling period, six soil samples were randomly collected from each station. Mites were extracted using a Berlese funnel. The collected data were analyzed using ecological indices (diversity and evenness) as well as statistical analyses including ANOVA and correspondence factor analysis (CFA). A total of 17 mite species were recorded in the two studied environments. In the Heuraoua station, 356 individuals belonging to 10 species were collected, including 122 individuals in the zucchini crop and 234 individuals representing 13 species in the eggplant crop. In the ENSA station, 317 individuals belonging to 14 species were recorded. In both crops, Scheloribates sp. was the dominant species, followed by Oppiia bicarinata and Uropoda sp. Diversity and evenness indices varied among the studied environments. Correspondence factor analysis highlighted a clear separation between cultivated habitats and the abandoned plot due to differences in species composition. The analysis of variance also revealed a highly significant difference between the two environments.The study demonstrates that soil mite communities are strongly influenced by habitat type. Natural habitats, such as the abandoned plot at ENSA, support higher species richness compared to cultivated fields, while cultivated crops show dominance by a few species adapted to agricultural conditions. These findings highlight the importance of preserving natural habitats to maintain soil biodiversity and suggest that agricultural practices can significantly alter the composition and diversity of soil mite communities.
ER -