Mite abundance and richness in an Irish survey of soil biodiversity with comments on some newly recorded species

The CréBeo project investigated biodiversity in Irish soils and provided data on the distribution, diversity and indicator value of a range of micro- and macro-organisms. In this paper we present data on the oribatid and gamasid (or mesostigmatid) mites (Arachnida, Acari) found in the survey. More than 100 taxa of mites were collected from 48 sites distributed across Ireland. The sites were selected to represent the major soil types and land uses (i.e. arable, pasture, forest, rough grazing and bogs). Mite abundance and species richness varied significantly between land uses but the pattern across land uses differed between oribatids and mesostigmatids. Oribatid abundance also differed between soil types and was positively correlated with soil organic matter. The genus Astegistes, as well as the species Limnozetes amnicus and Quadroppia pseudocircumita (all oribatids), are recorded for the first time in Ireland and some comments on their biology and distribution are provided.