TY  - JOUR
JF  - Acarologia
T1  - Oribatid mite community structure (Acari: Oribatida) in sugarcane crops and abandoned agricultural soils in Ayala, Morelos, Mexico
VL  - 66
IS  - Suppl
SP  - 40
EP  - 40
PY  - 2026
SN  - 0044-586X
SN  - 2107-7207
PB  - Les Amis d'Acarologia
AU  - Fernando, Villagomez
AU  - Jorge A., Rojo-Bernave
AU  - Margarita, Ojeda-Carrasco
AU  - José G., Palacios-Vargas
UR  - https://doi.org/10.24349/xx17-vn83
DO  - 10.24349/xx17-vn83
DA  - 2026-07-20
ET  - 2026-07-20
KW  - Oribatida
KW  - Soil biodiversity
KW  - Sugarcane agroecosystems
KW  - Vertical soil distribution
KW  - Land-use change
AB  - The objective of this study was to analyze the community structure of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) associated with sugarcane crops and abandoned agricultural soils in the municipality of Ayala, Morelos, Mexico, in order to evaluate the effects of agricultural land use on abundance, taxonomic composition, diversity, and vertical distribution along the soil profile, as well as to assess the potential of oribatid mites as bioindicators of soil quality in agroecosystems. Soil samples were collected from four parcels, three under sugarcane cultivation and one abandoned agricultural soil, during four sampling periods throughout the year. At each parcel, samples were obtained at two depth intervals (0–5 cm and 5–10 cm) using a soil corer. Edaphic microarthropods were extracted with Berlese funnels under controlled laboratory conditions. Oribatid mites were sorted, counted, and identified to family, genus, and species levels using standard taxonomic keys and reference collections. Abundance, taxonomic richness, and vertical distribution patterns were compared among land-use types and soil depths. Considering all sampling periods, the oribatid community comprised 17 families, 19 genera, and 21 species, including representatives such as Trhypochthonius sp. and Scheloribates sp. Marked differences in abundance and composition were observed among land-use types. Sugarcane parcels consistently showed higher abundances, ranging from 30 to 40 individuals per parcel, whereas the abandoned agricultural soil exhibited substantially lower abundance, with fewer than 10 individuals recorded, indicating a strong influence of agricultural management. At the family level, Epilohmannidae, Damaeolidae and Scheloribatidae were the most abundant and widely distributed taxa in cultivated parcels, while Trhypochthoniidae, Nothridae, and Cosmochtoniidae were rare. The abandoned soil was characterized by reduced family richness and dominance of Scheloribatidae, resulting in a simplified community structure. Vertical distribution patterns were evident, with higher abundance and richness in the upper soil layer (0–5 cm), likely associated with greater organic matter availability, whereas deeper layers (5–10 cm) harbored fewer individuals and lower diversity. These results demonstrate that agricultural land use significantly alters oribatid mite community structure, supporting the use of oribatid mites as sensitive bioindicators of soil quality in sugarcane agroecosystems.
ER -