EFFECT OF COPPER SMELTING AIR POLLUTION ON THE MITES (ACARI) ASSOCIATED WITH YOUNG SCOTS PINE FORESTS POLLUTED BY A COPPER SMELTING WORKS AT GOGÓW, POLAND. II. SOIL MITES

Authors: SENICZAK S.¹; KLIMEK A.¹; GACKOWSKI G.¹; KACZMAREK S.²; ZALEWSKI W.³

Source: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, Volume 97, Numbers 3-4, July 1997 , pp. 287-302(16)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

The soil mites were investigated in the areas covered with dead needles in young Scots pine forests (plant association Leucobryo-Pinetum), polluted by a copper smelting works at G lstrok ogów, and in a control plot. The concentration of heavy metals, mainly copper and lead, was the lowest in the control plot, and increased towards the pollution source. A high concentration of these metals reduced the density of mites and species number of Oribatida and Gamasida, while small concentrations were associated with the increasing abundance of mites and species number of Oribatida. Among mites, the following categories were distinguished: a) sensitive to heavy metals, b) sensitive to a high concentration, but tolerant of small concentrations, and c) tolerant of these metals. The changed vertical distribution of mites in the most polluted soil was also observed, due to accumulation of heavy metals in the Of/h horizon.

Keywords: Acari; bioindicators; Gamasida; heavy metals; Oribatida; Scots pine forest

Language: English

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Department of Ecology, University of Technology and Agriculture, ul. ks. Kordeckiego 20, Pl–85225 Bydgoszcz, Poland 2: Department of Biology and Environmental Protection, Pedagogical University, ul. Chodkiewicza 51, Pl–85667 Bydgoszcz, Poland 3: Department of Soil Science, University of Technology and Agriculture, ul. Bernardy nacute ska 6, Pl–85029 Bydgoszcz, Polandska 6, Pl–85029 Bydgoszcz, Poland">