Variation in trophic niches of oribatid mites in temperate forest ecosystems as indicated by neutral lipid fatty acid patterns.

ABSTRACT: Shifting of trophic niches of soil microarthropods may allow them to adapt to changing resource conditions as induced by global change processes. However, the capability of microarthropods to shift their trophic niches is little studied. Whereas some studies based on stable isotopes (15N/13C) point to distinct and narrow trophic niches, others indicate that trophic niches are plastic. Here, we investigated shifts in trophic niches of oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari), a major soil detritivore microarthropod group, due to forest management, i.e., plantation of beech and spruce forests in Central Europe, using neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) markers. Due to differential microbial communities, we expected a fungi-based diet of oribatid mites in beech forest, but more bacterial contributions t

SUBMITTER: Maraun M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7203090 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature