Hazardous Pollution Effects of Asphalt Production on Population Density and Diversity of Oribatid Mite Community (Acari, Oribatida)

摘要

The present study reveals the hazardous effects of stack emission of asphalt production on vegetative cover of agricultural soils around the Hot Mix Asphalt Plant (HMAP). Changes on the population structure and diversity of soil oribatid mite communities were detected, meanwhile, diverse and species- rich group of microarthropods indicative decomposer were reported. The study was carried on three repeated plots situated at different distances from north, west, east and south of the HMAP of Berma at Gharbiya governorate, Egypt. Oribatid mite communities were assessed from soil core samples collected during the four growing seasons from 15 December 2010 to 30 November 2011). Analysis of the obtained results from the collected soil samples reveal that HMAP has significant impact on SO , Cd, 2 Pb and Zn contents in adjacent soil, while the impact was not significant on other pollutant elements. Also, the impact on the vegetable leave elements was not significant. In plots strongly affected by HMAP pollution, the oribatid mite community suffered from lower densities reflecting fewer species and replacement of some species with others when compared with oribatid community in control plots. The controls constitute a complex community with higher abundance, diversity and equitability. The analysis of oribatid species distribution in heavily contaminated sites suggests that the severe conditions allow only a few tolerant species to survive such as Zygoribatula undulata and Oppia sticta since they represented the higher proportion in polluted plots.Finally, in spite of the positive effects of HMAP in socio-economic activities, it has negative effects on soil structure and on population size and community stability of oribatid mit species.