Zerconidae Mites of Spil Mountain National Park (Manisa, Türkiye): Influences of Altitude and Habitat on the Species Composition

Abstract

The zerconid mites in the Spil Mountain National Park (Manisa, T & uuml;rkiye) were studied monthly from September 2022 to August 2023, focusing on altitude and habitat preferences. After analyzing 824 samples, we identified ten zerconid mite species, with a total density of 502.195 individuals per square meter across the sampling sites. The most abundant species were Zercon colligans (69.7%), Zercon izmirensis (21.7%), and Zercon huseyini (7.5%). The analysis of variance was applied to assess the impact of altitude and habitat preferences on zerconid mites. A significant relation was observed between the abundance of Z. colligans and altitude (p < 0.05). This species was prevalent at elevations between 250 and 1250 meters but declined sharply beyond 1500 meters. In contrast, the population densities of other zerconid mite species continued to rise as altitude increased. Regarding habitat preferences, a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) was identified between the population densities of Z. izmirensis and specific habitat types. High densities of this species were found in litter and soil samples collected from beneath Juniperus sabina.