Positive correlation of trophic level and proportion of sexual taxa of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in alpine soil systems

We investigated community structure, trophic ecology (using stable isotope ratios; N-15/N-14, C-13/C-12) and reproductive mode of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) along an altitudinal gradient (2,050-2,900 m) in the Central Alps (Obergurgl, Austria). We hypothesized that (1) the community structure changes with altitude, (2) oribatid mites span over four trophic levels, (3) the proportion of sexual taxa increases with altitude, and (4) the proportion of sexual taxa increases with trophic level, i.e. is positively correlated with the delta N-15 signatures. Oribatid mite community structure changed with altitude indicating that oribatid mites occupy different niches at different altitudes. Oribatid mites spanned over 12 delta N-15 units, i.e. about four trophic levels, which is similar to lowland forest ecosystems. The proportion of sexually reproducing taxa increased from 2,050 to 2,900 m suggesting that limited resource availability at high altitudes favors sexual reproduction. Sexual taxa more frequently occurred higher in the food web indicating that the reproductive mode is related to nutrition of oribatid mites. Generally, oribatid mite community structure changed from being decomposer dominated at lower altitude to being dominated by fungal and lichen feeders, and predators at higher altitude. This supports the view that resources from dead organic material become less available with increasing altitude forcing species to feed on living resources such as fungi, lichens and nematodes. Our findings support the hypothesis that limited resource accessibility (at high altitudes) favors sexually reproducing species whereas ample resource supply (at lower altitudes) favors parthenogenetic species.