Comparison of oribatid mites from agricultural soils with contrasting irrigation types in Hidalgo State, Mexico: A case study

Abstract

The objective of this work is to know the structure (composition and density) of the community of the oribatid mites and their relationship to edaphic parameters in 2 agricultural parcels with different type of irrigation. It constitutes the first work done with oribatid mites in agricultural plots irrigated with waste water in Mexico. Two agricultural parcels were selected: one is irrigated with waste water (San Salvador) and the other with well water (El Bondho) from the municipality of San Salvador. The density of oribatids in San Salvador was higher than that from El Bondho (2,360 and 1,935 ind/m2, respectively). The maximum abundances in percentages in San Salvador were for 3 species: Tectocepheus velatus elegans (48%), Scheloribates sp. (15%) and Oppiella nova (13%); but for El Bondho, there were only 2 species: Zygoribatula connexa (74%) and Ramusella sp. (10%). Due to soil conditions by the irrigation type, results gave information, on one hand, about the tolerance of some species like O. nova, R. ardua, and T. velatus elegans to heavy metals, and on the other hand, about the low resistance to heavy metals of Epilohmannia pallida and Z. connexa, which were present in the less polluted parcel, but are tolerant to saline soils. Results can be useful to support the use of some species of oribatid mites as bioindicators in ecosystems with similar conditions.