Biodiversity of oribatid mites in two different microhabitats of Khuzestan province (Southwestern Iran)

Authors
Leila Ramezani 1
Mohammad Mossadegh 2
1 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resource University, Khuzestan, Iran.
2 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz, Khuzestan, Iran.
10.48311/jcp.2014.1153
Abstract
Two different microhabitats (cropped fields versus established date-palm farms) in two different cities in Khuzestan Province, Southwestern Iran, were sampled monthly during 2011-2012 in order to assess the role of anthropic uses of soil on the biodiversity of oribatid mites. A total of 17 species of oribatid mites belonging to 10 families and 15 genera were identified (nine species were collected from the fields and 17 species were collected from date-palm farms). Among the collected species, Scheloribates fimbriatus with 22% relative abundance and Acrotritia ardua with 19% were dominant species. The Shannon index of species diversity and equitability was used to analyze data. Species diversity of oribatid mites and equitability were significantly greater in the date-palm farms than in the cropped fields. Time of year had no significant effect on biodiversity.
Keywords
Acari
Oribatida
Biodiversity
Date-Palm
Equitability
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Journal of Crop Protection
Volume 3, Issue 4
December 2014
Pages 443-448