Oribatid Mites of the Repetek Biosphere Reserve

The results of studies on the species diversity and ecology of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) living in the Repetek Biosphere Reserve located in the Eastern part of the Karakum Desert are presented. The species composition and abundance of oribatid mites in the main phytocenoses of the Karakum deserts were revealed. In particular, 36 species of oribatid mites were found on the litter and in the soil under trees and shrubs, including ten new ones for the fauna of Turkmenistan. This study established the formation of mass accumulations of the dominant species Epilohmannia cylindrica and subdominants Oribatula skrjabini, Psammogalumna thysanura, Scheloribates turkmenistaniensis, and Hemileius turanica penetrating into the inner layers of plant residues. Their numbers reach 50–400 specimens in each 1 m2. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the seasonal dynamics of the number of the dominant species Epilohmannia cylindrica in the upper layer (1–10 cm) of sandy soils. Observations have established the prevalence of species diversity and abundance of oribatids in the Karakum Desert, compared to other groups of soil mites. Data on the importance of oribatid mites in the destruction of litter as well as plant waste formed as a result of covering plant residues with sand are presented.