Santos, P.F., DePree, E. and Whitford, W.G. (1978) Spatial Distribution of Litter and Microarthropods in a Chihuahuan Desert Ecosystem. Journal of Arid Environments, 1, 41-48.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-1963(18)31753-1

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Micro-Arthropods in the Surroundings of Nests of Messor arenarius Ants in the Negev Desert in Israel

  AUTHORS: Ittai Warburg, Yosef Steinberger

  KEYWORDS: Ants, Arid Region, Harvesters, Micro-Arthropods

  JOURNAL NAME: Open Journal of Ecology, Vol.14 No.7, July 22, 2024

  ABSTRACT: The present research investigated a segment of the micro-arthropod populations residing within nests of Messor arenarius ants in the Negev Desert of Israel. The total frequencies of micro-arthropods in the chaff of those ants’ nests were found to be higher than in the surrounding soil of the same nests. Acari (mites) were observed to be more abundant during the spring season, whereas their presence decreased during the summer months. Springtails (Collembola) were found to follow the Acari pattern, commonly found within the nests of those ants during spring but were absent during summer. Psocoptera order inhabiting soil habitats were infrequently encountered during spring, but their prevalence increased significantly during summer, particularly within the chaff of the ants’ nests, suggesting that chaff is their primary food source in the Negev Desert. Our research suggests that shifts in seasonality have important consequences on the distribution of soil invertebrate communities with implications on nutrient cycling.