The joint effects of local, climatic, and spatial variables determine soil oribatid mite community assembly along a temperate forest elevational gradient.

ABSTRACT: Numerous factors influence mountain biodiversity variation across elevational gradients and recognizing the relative importance is vital for understanding species distribution mechanisms. We examined oribatid mites at nine elevations (from 600 to 2200 m a.s.l) and four vegetation types from mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests to alpine tundra on Changbai Mountain. We assessed the contribution of environmental factors (climatic and local factors) and spatial processes (geographic or elevation distances) to oribatid mite community assembly and identified 59 oribatid mite species from 38 families and 51 genera. With increasing elevation, species richness and the Shannon index declined significantly, whereas abundance followed a hump-shaped trend. Soil TP, NH₄ ⁺-N,

SUBMITTER: Liu D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11222168 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature