A study on the effect of grazing to microarthropod composition in pastures

The possible effect of grazing in qualitative and quantitative composition of acari-fauna was studied on pastures in the prefecture of Ioannina, Epirus, Greece for the period April 1997-March 1998. The number of species was found to be similar both in the grazed and ungrazed pastures and comprised approximately by 59 and 71 taxa respectively. The most characteristic species were: a) for the grazed pasture: Tyrophagus longior, Oribatuloidea(-Zygoribatula sp.) and immature stages of Cryptostigmata which found dominant and were constant, Steneotarsonemus konoi dominant and accesory, Tarsonemus nr lacustris influent and constant, Zygoribatula sp and Microtydeus bellus influent and accesory; b) for the ungrazed pasture: Tyrophagus longior, Zygoribatula sp. and immatures stages of Cryptostigmata were found dominant and constant, Oribatuloidea(-Zygoribatula sp.) and Steneotarsonemus konoi dominant and accesory, Tarsonemus nr lacustris influent and constant, Peloptulus sp. and Microtydeus bellus influent and accesoty. No significant differences were found during the experiment period between the grazed and ungrazed pasture.