Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Soil fauna plays a key role in many soil functions, such as organic matter decomposition, humus formation, and nutrient release, modifying soil structure, and improving its fertility. Soil invertebrates play key roles in determining soil suitability for agricultural production and realizing sustainable farming systems. They include an enormous diversity of arthropods, nematodes, and earthworms. However, this fauna suffers from the impact of agricultural activities with implications for the capacity of soil to maintain its fertility and provide ecosystem services. Some agricultural practices may create crucial soil habitat changes, with consequences for invertebrate biodiversity. In the few last decades, especially under intensive and specialized farming systems, a loss in soil ecosystem services has been observed, as a result of the reduction in both the abundance and taxonomic diversity of soil faunal communities. On the other hand, agricultural practices, based on sustainable soil management, can promote useful soil fauna. Therefore, the concerns about the sensibility of soil biota to the agricultural practices make it urgent to develop sustainable management strategies, able to realize favorable microclimate and habitats, and reduce the soil disturbance.

soil biota --- invertebrates --- farming systems --- bioenergy --- biodiversity --- wheat --- ecosystem --- axonchium --- helicotylenchus --- tylenchorhynchus --- pratylenchus --- reniform --- vertosol --- gossypium --- Gossypium --- Zea mays --- vertisol --- Lumbricidae --- Aporrectodea caliginosa --- Aporrectodea rosea --- phosphorus fertilizers --- phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms --- renewable resources --- heavy metals --- Luvisols --- ground-dwelling arthropods --- pitfall traps --- cover crops --- ecosystem services --- natural enemies --- pear pests --- biological control --- soil organic matter --- soil pH --- post-harvest residues --- crop rotation --- Hordeum vulgare L. --- Vicia faba L. ssp. minor --- soil biodiversity --- vineyard --- co-occurrence patterns --- soil moisture --- soil temperature --- vineyard management --- traditional management --- sustainable agriculture --- management intensity --- South Tyrol --- mountain agriculture --- soil --- soil properties --- macrofauna --- earthworms --- sustainability --- soil invertebrates --- bioindicators --- soil quality --- mesofauna --- soil degradation --- land management

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

The world of mites, being exceptionally diverse and rich, may be analysed both in historical and geographical terms. It is commonly known that these tiny, ubiquitous invertebrates are found both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; additionally, they are relatively abundant in aeroplankton. The species composition and character of their assemblages vary, and they are different in the polar, temperate and tropical regions. All the above-mentioned factors force scientists to apply a unique approach to research problems and specifically define the aims of their investigations. The Diversity Special Issue on "Biodiversity of Mites" contains complex acarological issues including zoogeographic, ecological and parasitological research conducted in several regions of the world. The results of the presented research concern various taxonomic groups of mites occurring in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Therefore, they can be an inspiration to search for new research directions and solve contemporary scientific problems.

leaf domatia–mite mutualism --- Coffea arabica --- mite diversity --- edge effect --- South Africa --- Arrenurus --- Lebertia quinquemaculosa --- Lake St. Clair Metropark --- Belle Isle --- Detroit --- phoresy --- mesocosm --- Diptera --- freshwater ecology --- Arctic --- Oribatida --- faunistics --- taxonomic diversity --- distribution --- checklist --- arctic species --- arctic-boreal species --- mites --- Cerambycidae --- natural forest --- Oodinychus --- Trichouropoda --- Monochamus --- Plagionotus --- Tetropium --- oat straw mulch --- barley straw mulch --- biological control --- two-spotted spider mite --- edaphic mites --- lifestyle --- tree related microhabitats --- 18S rRNA --- phylogeny --- ancestral state reconstruction --- sensillus --- Acariformes --- Demodecidae --- Prostigmata --- diversity --- parasites --- Acari --- biogeography --- geographical variability --- Mesostigmata --- neotropical region --- palearctic species --- range of occurrence --- Rotundabaloghia --- species identification --- Uropoda (Phaulodinychus) penicillata --- spring ecology --- crenal diversity --- crenal water mites --- spring morphology --- Astigmata --- Endeostigmata --- climate change --- Svalbard --- COI --- Yucatan Peninsula --- assemblages --- richness --- mesofauna --- prospection --- n/a --- leaf domatia-mite mutualism