Mi. Noti et al., SOIL ORIBATID MITE COMMUNITIES (ACARI, ORIBATIDA) FROM HIGH SHABA (ZAIRE) IN RELATION TO VEGETATION, Agriculture, ecosystems & environment. Applied soil ecology, 5(1), 1997, pp. 81-96
Soil oribatid mite communities from three vegetation types (forest, wo
odland and savanna) are described in Luiswishi (high Shaba, Zaire) and
151 species were recorded. Oribatid communities are organized along a
successional gradient which parallels the regressive sere defined by
phytosociologists and going from the dense forest (''muhulu''), the lo
cal climax, to the savanna, passing through the woodland (''miombo'').
Within this gradient, oribatid communities may vary depending on the
habitat (presence of grass, high termitaria). The impact of seasons (d
ry vs. rainy season) is weak in the forest but drastic in savanna. The
various soil oribatid communities are related to man's activities sin
ce the regressive sere results from repeated burnings and associated a
gricultural practices.