Comparison of Earthworm (Lumbricidae) and Oribatid Mite (Acari, Oribatida) Communities in Natural and Urban Ecosystems

This study investigates earthworm and oribatid mite communities in urban, semi-natural and natural ecosystems of Tbilisi (Georgia). Ten species of earthworms and 100 species of oribatid mites were registered in 45 soil samples. Two species of oribatid mites, Microzetes auxilaris Grandjean, 1936 and Multioppia laniseta Moritz, 1966, are new for the Caucasian fauna. We hypothesized that species number and abundance of invertebrate animals tend to decrease from natural to urban ecosystems. The hypothesis was supported only partially. Number of species of oribatid mites and earthworms decreased together with increase of urbanization, whereas abundance showed no significant changes due to high density of stress tolerant and ubiquitous species in urban sites. Accordingly, species abundance is considered to have minor indicatory value. Our studies support ecological “time-hypothesis” in a way that older (natural) sites were presented with more diverse fauna than recent (urban) ones. Statistical analyses showed that studied ecosystems should be grouped in two rather than three categories: in urban and natural ones.В статье предоставлены результаты исследования сообществ дождевых червей и панцирных клещей в урбанизированных, полуприродных и природных экосистемах г. Тбилиси (Грузия). В 45 почвенных пробах были найдены 10 видов дождевых червей и 100 видов панцирных клещей. Два вида клещей Microzetes auxilaris Grandjean, 1936 и Multioppia laniseta Moritz, 1966 являются новымы для фауны Кавказа. Мы предположили, что количество и плотность населения безпозвоночных должны уменьшаться от природных к урбанизированным экосистемам. Наша гипотеза подтвердилась частично. Количество видов дождевых червей и панцирных клещей сократилось с увеличением степени урбанизированности среды, тогда, как плотность населения существенно не менялась из-за высокой плотности отдельных убиквистовых и толерантных к стрессам видов. Соответственно считаем, что плотность населения не имеет большого индикационного значения. Наши результаты подтверждают экологическую «гипотезу времени» тем, что более старые (природные) участки были представлены более разнообразной фауной, чем более новые (урбанизированные). Статистический анализ показал, что изученные экосистемы должны быть сгруппированны по двум, а не по трем категориям: по природным и урбанизированным

Land use and soil characteristics affect soil organisms differently from above-ground assemblages

Background: Land-use is a major driver of changes in biodiversity worldwide, but studies have overwhelmingly focused on above-ground taxa: the effects on soil biodiversity are less well known, despite the importance of soil organisms in ecosystem functioning. We modelled data from a global biodiversity database to compare how the abundance of soil-dwelling and above-ground organisms responded to land use and soil properties. Results: We found that land use affects overall abundance differently in soil and above-ground assemblages. The abundance of soil organisms was markedly lower in cropland and plantation habitats than in primary vegetation and pasture. Soil properties influenced the abundance of soil biota in ways that differed among land uses, suggesting they shape both abundance and its response to land use. Conclusions: Our results caution against assuming models or indicators derived from above-ground data can apply to soil assemblages and highlight the potential value of incorporating soil properties into biodiversity models

The place of millet in food globalization during Late Prehistory as evidenced by new bioarchaeological data from the Caucasus

Two millets, Panicum miliaceum and Setaria italica, were domesticated in northern China, around 6000 BC. Although its oldest evidence is in Asia, possible independent domestication of these species in the Caucasus has often been proposed. To verify this hypothesis, a multiproxy research program (Orimil) was designed to detect the first evidence of millet in this region. It included a critical review of the occurrence of archaeological millet in the Caucasus, up to Antiquity; isotopic analyses of human and animal bones and charred grains; and radiocarbon dating of millet grains from archaeological contexts dated from the Early Bronze Age (3500–2500 BC) to the 1st Century BC. The results show that these two cereals were cultivated during the Middle Bronze Age (MBA), around 2000–1800 BC, especially Setaria italica which is the most ancient millet found in Georgia. Isotopic analyses also show a significant enrichment in 13C in human and animal tissues, indicating an increasing C4 plants consumption at the same period. More broadly, our results assert that millet was not present in the Caucasus in the Neolithic period. Its arrival in the region, based on existing data in Eurasia, was from the south, without excluding a possible local domestication of Setaria italica

Global monitoring of soil animal communities using a common methodology.

Here we introduce the Soil BON Foodweb Team, a cross-continental collaborative network that aims to monitor soil animal communities and food webs using consistent methodology at a global scale. Soil animals support vital soil processes via soil structure modification, consumption of dead organic matter, and interactions with microbial and plant communities. Soil animal effects on ecosystem functions have been demonstrated by correlative analyses as well as in laboratory and field experiments, but these studies typically focus on selected animal groups or species at one or few sites with limited variation in environmental conditions. The lack of comprehensive harmonised large-scale soil animal community data including microfauna, mesofauna, and macrofauna, in conjunction with related soil functions, microbial communities, and vegetation, limits our understanding of biological interactions in soil systems and how these interactions affect ecosystem functioning. To provide such data, the Soil BON Foodweb Team invites researchers worldwide to use a common methodology to address six long-term goals: (1) to collect globally representative harmonised data on soil micro-, meso-, and macrofauna communities, (2) to describe key environmental drivers of soil animal communities and food webs, (3) to assess the efficiency of conservation approaches for the protection of soil animal communities, (4) to describe soil food webs and their association with soil functioning globally, (5) to establish a global research network for soil biodiversity monitoring and collaborative projects in related topics, (6) to reinforce local collaboration networks and expertise and support capacity building for soil animal research around the world. In this paper, we describe the vision of the global research network and the common sampling protocol to assess soil animal communities and advocate for the use of standard methodologies across observational and experimental soil animal studies. We will use this protocol to conduct soil animal assessments and reconstruct soil food webs at sites associated with the global soil biodiversity monitoring network, Soil BON, allowing us to assess linkages among soil biodiversity, vegetation, soil physico-chemical properties, climate, and ecosystem functions. In the present paper, we call for researchers especially from countries and ecoregions that remain underrepresented in the majority of soil biodiversity assessments to join us. Together we will be able to provide science-based evidence to support soil biodiversity conservation and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems

CHECKLIST AND KEY TO SPECIES OF CARABODES (ACARI, ORIBATIDA, CARABODIDAE) OF THE CAUCASIAN REGION, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES

A revised checklist is presented for the 28 species in the oribatid mite genus Carabodes (Carabodidae) that are known from the Caucasian region, including distributional data and new records from Georgia. An identification key for Caucasian Carabodes species and a table of characters are included. A new species from the West Georgian subtropical region, Carabodes kintrishiana sp.n., is proposed

TWO NEW SPECIES OF ORIBATID MITES (ACARI, ORIBATIDA) HAPLOZETES LONGISACCULUS AND SCUTOVERTEX ARMAZI FROM GEORGIA (CAUCASUS)

Two new species of oribatid mite, one each from the genera Haplozetes and Scutovertex, are described based on adult specimens. The H. longisacculus n. sp. specimens were found in manganese mining areas of Chiatura region (Western Georgia) and one individual of S. armazi n. sp. was found in open arid woodlands in Mtskheta surroundings (Eastern Georgia). Systematic placement of H. longisacculus n. sp. is discussed and the main characters of similar Scutovertex species are compared

Contribution to the Oribatid Mite Fauna of Georgia. 1. New species of Poronota (Acari, Oribatida)

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A SECOND SPECIES OF PSEUDOPROTORIBATES (ACARI: ORIBATIDA: HAPLOZETIDAE): P. PARABADENSIS FROM THE CAUCASUS

A new record of Protoribates parabadensis Kulijev, 1968, in Georgia afforded the opportunity to redecribe this Caucasian species and to discuss its taxonomic status. The species is most similar to Pseudoprotoribates luxtoni Weigmann et Monson, 2004, and we therefore regard it as a second species of the genus: Pseudoprotoribates parabadensis (Kulijev, 1968). Both species have the same characteristic lamellar complex; but the species differ in the shape of the sensillus, of the discidium and the number of notogastral areae porosae