Quantitative assessment of the dispersal of soil-dwelling oribatid mites via rodents in restored heathlands

1. Heathland restoration using topsoil removal requires the re-colonisation of above- and belowground communities. Oribatid mites play a key role in the comminution of organic matter and are frequently early colonizers during succession despite their limited mobility. Whereas the assembly of their communities may take decades, passive dispersal likely dominates colonisation processes, but especially dispersal via other animals (phoresy) remains poorly studied. Compared to other potential hosts, movement habits and ecology of small rodents may provide dispersal advantages to oribatid communities.
2. We studied dispersal of oribatid mites via small rodents in restored heathland sites of different age. We measured movement patterns of small rodents and extracted mites from their pelts and nests to estimate annual contributions of these rodents to the dispersal of oribatids. We also discussed phoretic estimates reported on other host groups as a reference.
3. Probability estimates of oriba..., ,

1. 采用表土移除（topsoil removal）法开展石楠荒原（heathland）修复工作，需实现地上与地下群落的重新定殖。甲螨（Oribatid mites）在有机质粉碎过程中发挥关键作用，尽管其移动能力有限，但常为群落演替中的早期定殖者。尽管甲螨群落的组装可能耗时数十年，被动扩散仍大概率主导其定殖过程，但目前针对通过其他动物进行的携播（phoresy）扩散的研究仍较为匮乏。相较于其他潜在宿主，小型啮齿动物的移动习性与生态特征或可为甲螨群落的扩散提供有利条件。
2. 本研究针对不同修复年限的石楠荒原样地，探究了甲螨通过小型啮齿动物实现的扩散过程。我们测定了小型啮齿动物的活动模式，并从其皮毛与巢穴中分离出甲螨，以评估这类啮齿动物每年对甲螨扩散的贡献。此外，我们还引用其他宿主类群的携播相关研究数据作为参照。
3. 甲螨定殖概率的相关估算……，