Mites (Acari) as bioindicators

Anna Seniczak Department of Ecology University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland

Mites (Acari) as bioindicators

Anna Seniczak Department of Ecology University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland

Mites?
Belong to arthropods and arachnids, Body size 60 m - 30 mm (average 0,5 mm), They are small but very many and very active!

Mites- common but still not well known

Mites achieved a huge evolutionary successthey are 2nd (after insects) with respect to species number. So far more than 45 thousands species were described, but the estimates are 1 milion.
(Walter and Proctor 1999).

Mites- common but still not well known

We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot.

(Leonardo Da Vinci, circa 1500s)

(Walter and Proctor)

Mites- common but still not well known

They live in different environments. E.g. on our skin occur Demodex folliculorum (hair follicle) and Demodex brevis (sweat gland).

(www.activasns.com)

(camelot.lfhk.cuni.cz)

Mites- friends or enemies?

Pests of plants (families Tetranychidae and Eriophyidae).

(http://k43.pbase.com)

(http://www.bonsai-info.net) (http://www.bonsai-info.net)

(http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov)

(http://popgen.unimaas.nl)

Mites- friends or enemies?

Pests in storehouses (families Acaridae and Glycyphagidae).

(http://www.hal-allergie.de)

Mites- friends or enemies?

Cause of allergies.

Mites- friends or enemies?

Sometimes 1specimen is enough to cause a dramatic effect.

Mites- friends or enemies?

Mites in biological control. Chyletidae- predators of storehouse pests, Phytoseidae- predators of plant pests, Species from genus Pyemotes are predators of bark beetles.

Mites- friends or enemies?

Mites are used in production of cheese.

Tyrolichus casei Oudemans, 1910 (http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov)

 Monument of cheese mite in Wrchwitz (Sachsen - Anhalt) (Germany) from Carrara marble.

(Alberti 2004)

Mites- friends or enemies?

Soil mites participate in decomposition of organic matter.

Moss mites- treasure hidden in soil

Decomposition of organic matter is 5 times faster when microorganisms and mites cooperate, comparing to microorganisms activity only- so called a sleeping beauty paradox.
(Walter and Proctor 1999)

Mites- friends or enemies?

Mites as bioindicators- to evaluate the effect of human influence on the environment.

Human impact on ecosystems

Air, soil, water pollution, intensive agriculture, fires, clearance of wood in forest, soil trading, etc.

(Marshall et al. 1987)

Moss mites- treasure hidden in soil

In forest soil their density is several hundred thousands (up to 1 million) per 1 m, represented by over 100 species.

(Skubaa 2002)

Moss mites- treasure hidden in soil

In many land environments the biomass of moss mites is higher than the biomass of birds and mammals, and their net production is 2 times higher than of rodents and 6 times higher than of birds, living on the same territory...

(Krivolutskij 1976)

(S. Seniczak)

(S. Seniczak)

(S. Seniczak)

(S. Seniczak)

(S. Seniczak)

Limnozetes ciliatus (Schrank, 1803)

Limnozetes rugosus (Sellnick, 1923)

Features of a good bioindicator?

Common, Numerous, Important in ecosystems, Connected to its environment, Easy to cultivate in laboratory, Quickly developing.

Soil invertebrates in bioindication

Majority of research has been carried out on: earthworms, springtails, isopods, potworms.
(Walker et al. 2002, Lock and Janssen 2002)

What are heavy metals?

Relative density higher than 5g/cm3, Atomic weight greater than Na (22.99), classification based on the chemical properties class A, metals which bind to oxygen (Ca, Mg, Mn, K, Sr, Na), - class B, metals bind to nitrogen or sulphur (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ag), - class C, with both properties (Zn, Pb, Fe, Cr, Co, Ni).

(Nieboer & Richardsson 1980)

What are heavy metals?

Metals can be also classified according to their importance for the organisms as: essential, non essential.

Mites and heavy mites

The literature on the effect of heavy metals on mites is rather poor, in comparison to other soil invertebrates.

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

First studies - on the spoil heaps of mine, Great Britain. Effect of Pb on abundance of important groups of soil invertebrates was compared.

(Williamson and Evans 1973)

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

Even very high concentrations of Pb (19 000 mg/kg) did not affect the total density of mites. But we do not know how reacted different groups of mites!

(Williamson and Evans 1973)

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

A study near zinc smelter (Palmerton, USA) showed that oribatid mites were the most sensitive invertebrates to heavy metals.

(Strojan 1978)

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

Close to zinc smelter (26 000 mgZn/kg, 900 mgCd/kg, 2 300 mgPb/kg) their density was 15 times lower than in the control plot; Oribatid mites can be a sensitive indicator of heavy metals!
(Strojan 1978)

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

In Poland mites were studied near copper smelting works in Gogw: high concentrations of metals (2500 mg Cu/kg and 1500 mg Pb/kg) reduced total density of mites, small concentrations (200 mg/kg) were favourable to mites, their density was higher than in the control plot.
(Seniczak et al. 1996)

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

Species number on polluted plots (1- most polluted) and control.
45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1 2 3 Control Oribatida Gamasida

(Seniczak et al. 1996)

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

Analyses on the species level showed that both, among Oribatida and Gamasida, there were species: 1) sensitive to metals, 2) tolerant of metals, 3) sensitive to high concentrations but tolerant of small concentrations of metals.
(Seniczak et al. 1996)

Effect of metals on mites in the field conditions

The bioindicative reaction of mites should be considered on the species level!

(Seniczak et al. 1996)

Cd

Zn

?? Pb Cu

Help!!!

After field studies we are not sure:

Which metal (substance) was most harmful? Any interactions between metals (or with other substances) ? Influence of other abiotic factors (e.g. pH, temperature, humidity)? How metals affect the populations?

Laboratory studies
Effect of Pb and Cd was tested on: Nothrus silvestris and Rhysotritia duplicata, Adult mites were tolerant of very high concentrations of metals (10 000 gPb/g, 1000 gCd/g)!
(Ludwig i in.1991)

Laboratory studies
The effect of metals on survival, fertility and development of juveniles was studied on:

(http://www.cbif.gc.ca)

- Platynothrus peltifer - Archegozetes longisetosus.

(Denneman and Van Straalen 1991, Seniczak et al. 2000)

Laboratory studies
Small doses of metals increased fertility of mites.

Laboratory studies
Too high concentrations of metals: decreased fertility; increased mortality of juvenile stages; prolonged the time of development; caused morphological changes.

(Denneman and Van Straalen 1991, Seniczak et al. 2000)

A. longisetosus - protonymph Control Pb

Lowest observable effect concentration (LOEC)

ppm 1500 1000 500 0 Cu Pb
P. peltifer

Cd

A. longisetosus

Laboratory studies
Pergalumna was more sensitive to Cu than other Oribatida (LOEC- 300 g/g), but less to Pb. Accumulation factor for Cu (organism:food) is 12:1; for Pb 1:1.

Interactions between metals

It was shown in Archegozetes longisetosus: Synergism: Zn and Pb. Antagonism: Cu and Pb. However, as shown in other invertebrates, type of interaction may depend on proportions between metals.

Accumulation of heavy metals

Oribatida are among the invertebrates accumulating the highest amounts of heavy metals.

(Roth 1993, Van Straalen et al. 2001)

Accumulation of heavy metals

ppm 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Zn Pb Xenillus tegeocranus Phthiracarus nitens Suctobelbella acutidens Tectocepheus velatus Platynothrus peltifer soil

(Zaitsev and Van Straalen 2001)

Uptake of metals
Food Through the cuticle (?)

Detoxification of metals

(Dallinger 1993)

Granules in ventriculus of Archegozetes longisetosus

Analyse of granules

Excretion of heavy metals

Excretion to the lumen of digestive system. Accumulation of heavy metals in the cuticle and getting rid of them during moulting (?)

(Ludwig et al.1991, 1993, Kratzmann et al. 1993)

Summary
Heavy metals reduce the density and species diversity of mites; Adults can tolerate very high concentrations of metals; Metals reduce the fertility and are harmful to juveniles.

Summary
The tolerance of the species depends on many factors, e.g. the microhabitat; feeding manners; kinetics of metals uptake/excretion; strategies of metal detoxification.

Summary
The mechanisms that enable some species to survive in the contaminated environment are not clear and require further studying.

Muchas gracias!!