Oribatid communities (Acari: Oribatida) associated with bird’s nests - microhabitats in urban environment

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the species composition and structure of thrush nest oribatocenoses under urban conditions in Slovakia and Germany and to further determine the influence of some environmental variables on the oribatid mite community. A total of 1,623 individuals of oribatids in different stages of their life cycles belonging to 53 species and 24 families were identified in a total of 43 nests. Of these, 24 species were recorded in Slovakia, 45 species were recorded in Germany, 20 species occurred in song thrush nests, and 49 species occurred in Eurasian blackbird nests. A total of 17 species were common to both types of nests. A total of thirty species recorded in this study were found in bird nests for the first time. There was a significant difference between the nest species compositions in different localities and between the nest oribatocenosis abundances for the two studied thrush species.