Synopsis

DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF SOIL MICROARTHROPODS

COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT EDAPHIC HABITATS OF DOOARS,
WEST BENGAL, INDIA.

Submitted To: Supervisor

Dr. Amal Bhattacharya

Ph.D. Research Work

Submitted By:
Sishutosh Roy Department
of Zoology Raiganj
University, Raiganj, Uttar
Dinajpur.
 Diversity and Distribution of soil Microarthropod communities in different edaphic habitats of
Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh

Synopsis
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF SOIL MICROARTHROPODS
COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT EDAPHIC HABITATS OF DOOARS, WEST
BENGAL, INDIA.
Sishutosh Roy
Introduction:
Arthropods are integral part to a functioning forest ecosystem and perform key roles as
detritivores, herbivores, predators and prey. Soil and litter arthropods aid in the
regulation of rates of nutrient cycling, decomposition, and energy flow (Petersen and
Luxton 1982, Wallwork 1983, Seastedt 1984, Persson 1989, Wardle and Giller 1996).
Microarthropods, in particular the oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida), are the most
abundant and diverse animals living in soil and litter environments. Disturbance
of microarthropod communities has the potential to alter or disrupt these
essential ecosystem processes.

Soil microarthropods are among the most abundant constituents of soil mesofauna and,
are known to assume a very significant role in degradation of organic debris in soil
thereby modulating the edaphic dynamicity. The soil microarthropods in general and
Collembola and Acari in particular play an important role in the decomposition of leaf
litter to organic matter and its nutrient cycling (Scastedt and Crossley, 1981; Faber,
1992; Bardgett et al., 1998).

Various workers like Christiansen et al., (1961), Yosii (1966), Crossley et al., (1992),
Badejo and Straallen (1993), Choudhuri and Roy (1967), Prabhoo (1976), Choudhuri
and Pande (1979), Hazra and Choudhuri (1983), Mitra (1993), Hazra and Sanyal
(1996), Ghosh and Roy (2004) in abroad and India have studied the soil arthropod
population in relation to different biotic and abiotic factors particularly either in
grassland, forest, cultivated, uncultivated fields or in a particular altitude in hilly
region. However, the northern part of West Bengal, the Dooars region, falling under
the Eastern Himalayan Hotspot, holds a great diversity of soil arthropods and deserves
to be worked upon.

Review of Literature:
Qualitative and quantitative studies of soil fauna, particularly the micro-arthropods
from Indian soils began from the mid-sixties, although ecological studies
were initiated much earlier (Trehan, 1945). However, major contributions have
been from the agricultural fields, grasslands, abandoned fields and tea gardens, and
very few from tropical rainforests. While the microarthropod studies from
various forest floors included those of Banerjee (1972), Choudhuri (1961 & 1962),
Hazra (1978), Bisht & Chattoraj (1986 & 1998).

Reports from tropical forest soil and litter micro-arthropods are limited to the works
of Singh & Pillai (1975), Prabhoo (1967,’76a,b), Hazra (1976,’78,’82, ’84 & 1987),
Hazra et al. (1981,’83,’90,’96 & 2003), Mitra (1975,’76, ’88 & 1993), Mitra et al.
(1981, ’83, ’86, ’99 & 2002), Guru et al. (1988 & 1991) Ghosh and Roy (2005),
Hazra & Mandal (2007), Mandal et al. (2007a,b,c, ’09, ’10 & ’11).

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 Diversity and Distribution of soil Microarthropod communities in different edaphic habitats of
Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh
From the above literature it was assumed that the research works on Soil-Biology
have tried to assess the impact of different biotic and abiotic factors on the
distribution and diversity of soil mesofauna with special reference to Collembola.

In India, Soil micro-arthropods fauna from Mangroove forest ecosyetem studies are
very scanty. Hazra & Sanyal (1996), Hazra, Dey & Mandal (2005) studied ecology
of Collembola in periodically inundated newly emerged alluvial island on the river
Hooghly, West Bengal.

So far no consolidated research has been conducted on this part of North Bengal.
Hence, the present investigation is taken up to know the impact of major soil
factors on the distribution of soil micro-arthropods.

Rationale of the Study:

The soil food web includes many species of tiny arthropods, known collectively as
“microarthropods.” In recent times, scientists explored the almost invisible world of soil
microorganisms: bacteria, actinomycetes, protozoans, algae, and others. Microarthropods
and other small soil animals are visible (sometimes barely so) but miniscule; most require
some level of magnification for identification. Many microarthropods, especially
springtails and soil mites, are responsible for breaking down organic material into a form
that bacteria can consume, and are fundamental to the creation of humus and the formation
of soil.

Biodiversity in the soil food web supports above-ground biodiversity. The thin layer where
soil and litter meet is especially crucial to this process. This layer of soil is the
most biologically active; many species of microarthropods thrive only in the interface
between soil and litter. Others are found in deeper layers; these are often thinner, wormlike
in form, with shorter legs than their counterparts in leaf litter. The distribution of
differently adapted species in soil layers is a good reason to avoid disturbing soil layers
whenever possible.

Popular Names: Soil microarthropods include chelicerates (mites, spiders, and

pseudoscorpions), myriapods (centipedes, millipedes, and symphylans), crustaceans (small
aquatic forms often found in water features), springtails, and insects. Many groups do not
have popular names; proturans and diplurans, for instance, are small soil arthropods related
to insects.

Common Groups: The most easily spotted microarthropods are oribatid mites and other
soil mites, springtails (Collembola), minute beetles, pseudoscorpions, and
aquatic crustaceans. Minute centipedes, millipedes, and symphylans are also common;
proturans and diplurans, less so. Other minute non-arthropod soil organisms include
tardigrades (water bears) and rotifers.

Distribution: Worldwide. Many species of microarthropods have not yet been described.

Life Cycle: Some microarthropods are capable of parthenogenic (asexual) reproduction;

for instance, oribatid mites have no need for males to reproduce. Rotifers and tartigrades
share this efficient means of reproduction.

Appearance: Varied and diverse; although many can be spotted with the naked
eye, magnification is an essential gardening tool for clear viewing of these tiny organisms.
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 Diversity and Distribution of soil Microarthropod communities in different edaphic habitats of
Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh
Life Span: Varied. Most are short-lived. Microarthropods may have multiple generations
annually. Those that can form cysts may be able to endure years of drought; these include
some crustaceans, rotifers, and tardigrades.

Diet: Varied. Some microarthropods function as decomposers; many are predators of other
small organisms.

Benefits: Microarthropods contribute to healthy soil ecology, especially to decomposition

of organic matter in soils and mulches; many control populations of injurious organisms.

Research Methodology:
Samples will be drawn by using of a stainless steel corer (inner cross-section diameter 8.5
sq./cm) from a depth of 5 cm. Separate soil samples units (500 gram) will be taken from
each site (2 packet from each site) for collection of Microarthropods and estimation of soil
parameters like moisture, pH, organic carbon etc. and will be kept immediately in sterile
polythene packet in 4ºC in the laboratory for estimations of soil parameters. All the
collected samples will be immediately transferred to polythene packets and labeled, taking
as much as possible to prevent loss of moisture. The labeled samples will be brought to the
laboratory for extraction within 24 hours of their collection.

Extraction of Soil Micro-Arthropod Fauna:

Extraction of soil samples will be carried out by ‘Expedition Funnel Apparatus’ modified
by Macfadyen (1953) with a 40-watt bulb for providing heat and light. The extraction
period may vary from 36 to 72 hours depending upon the moisture content of the soil
sample.

Analysis of Edaphic Factors:

Soil samples will be dried in a hot air oven at about 105ºC for further bacterial action
(some sample would be kept separately for the estimation of soil moisture) and then
will be allowed to cool and stored in a desiccators and dried soil will be passed through
the 2 mm sieve, mixed and fractionated before analysis.

❖ Temperature: Soil-thermometer will be put in use to record the temperature of the

soil at 5cm depth and the temperature of air, one meter above ground level.

❖ Moisture: Moisture of the soil sample will be measured by the Moisture meter.

❖ Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH): pH of the soil will be determined by the

electronic pH meter.

❖ Organic Carbon: Organic Carbon content of the soil will be determined by ‘Rapid
Titration Method’.

❖ All the above experiments on soil will be correlated with the distribution and
abundance of specific types of microarthropods.
Statistical Analysis of Data

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 Diversity and Distribution of soil Microarthropod communities in different edaphic habitats of
Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh

Mention the purpose of using

Statistical Analysis and the
methods to be used for your
study? Any software will be
utilized? This is to be
written properly?

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 Diversity and Distribution of soil Microarthropod communities in different edaphic habitats of
Dooars, West
Bengal,
To analyze order wise dominance India by Sishutosh
in distribution of soil arthropod
communities index of dominance are used. The group wise index of dominance is
calculated on the basis of relative abundance which is expressed as
RA=ni/N x 100
Where RA = relative abundance, ni = number of individuals of ith group, N = total
number of individuals of all the groups.

The Sorensen coefficient of similarity is used to compare soil arthropods diversity

between different sites of a particular area. The formula is
Cs = 2a / (2a + b + c)
Where Cs is Sorensen coefficient, 'a' is the number of group C s s common to both
sites, 'b' is the number of groups in site second site but not in the first site, 'c' is the
number of groups in the first site but not in the second site.

The diversity of soil arthropod group is calculated by the Shannon's equation (e.g.,
Magurran, 1988). It is calculated by the following equation:
H' (G)y = -∑ Pgy ln Pgy
Where H' (G)y is the Group diversity per year, Pgy = Ngy/ Ny is the yearly proportion
of individuals of each group per year, Ngy is the group abundance per year and Ny is
the yearly arthropods abundance.

Regarding the uniformity of distribution of different orders of soil arthropods in

different altitudinal sites, for comparing a community's actual group diversity, H'
(G)y to the maximum possible diversity, Hmax. a measure called evenness index (E)
is used:
E = H' (G)y / Hmax
All the statistical analyses will be carried out by using MINITAB statistical software.

Data Analysis and Interpretation:

The correlation coefficient (‘r’ value) of each variable on each other in individual site is
determined to establish relationship between the biotic variables in all sites.

Research Objectives:
➢ To study the macroenvironment and microenvironment in the regions near
Khoirbari forest and Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary near Falakata.

➢ To study microarthropod diversity in different regions.

➢ To determine population abundance of the species in different locations.

➢ To determine species abundance with seasonal fluctuations throughout the year.

➢ To determine the effect of present physico-chemical factors on soil microarthropods

fauna.

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 Diversity and Distribution of soil Microarthropod communities in different edaphic habitats of
Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh

Expected Outcome:

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 Diversity and Distribution of soil Microarthropod communities in different edaphic habitats of
Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh

• Microarthropods contribute to healthy soil ecology, especially

to decomposition of organic matter in soils and mulches; many control
populations of injurious organisms.

• Microarthropods diversity and abundance can indicate the fertility of soil

and impact of pollutant in the area. So far not much work has been done in
the Northern portion of West Bengal, especially in the Dooars region. Being
a biodiversity-rich area, comprising of vast forest and agricultural fields,
this region is expected to hold a remarkable diversity of microarthropods.

• The effect of environmental and man-made factors on microarthropod

diversity might be studied as well. All the outcomes of retrieved data may
have significant ecological importance.

Sampling Sites:
Soil samples will be collected at random at the rate of three samples per plot (5 meter
square) from various sampling sites at Khoirbari Forest, Jaldapara National Park and
Falakata in regular intervals throughout the year between 7AM and 10AM on a day in
between the 1st and 7th day of a month.

Summary:
Three sampling sites at Khoirbari Forest, Jaldapara National Park and Falakata.
Mean Values of Temperature, Moisture, pH and Organic Carbon.
Seasonal Values
Microarthropod Diversities
Several Positive and Negative Environmental Impacts

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Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh
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Dooars, West
Bengal, India by Sishutosh
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Signature of the Supervisor Signature of Candidate

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