Abstract:
The present study is a part of some ecological researches aiming investigation of the structure and functioning of the
main ecosystem types from the Central Moldavian Plateau, being devoted to the agro-ecosystems that have a high share
in the considered zone. Investigations on edaphic mesofauna evidenced increased weight of insects in most agroecosystems taken into study; among mites, gamasids or oribatids are the dominant group, or the abundance is similar
between these two groups. Ratio between oribatid mites and collembolans, the major detritomicrophytophagous groups
is clearly favorable to the latter, indicating the predominance of mineralization processes compared to those of
humification. Analysis of ratio between the main trophic groups shows that in most cultures zoophages starkly dominate
detritomicrophytophagous group, a situation rarely encountered in grassland or forest ecosystems.
Qualitative and cantitative study of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida), a representative group of edaphic mesofauna,
showed that both the abundance and the number of taxa is lower in the analyzed crops compared to grassland soils in
this zone. The oribatid communities are simple structured, with low specific diversity, that indicate a poor stability and
reduced self-regulation capacity.
In this context four species have been recorded for the first time in Romanian fauna: Ramusella (R.) sengbuschi
Hammer, 1968, Rhinoppia tridentata (Subias et Minguez, 1985), Lauroppia fallax (Paoli, 1908) and Quadroppia (C.)
monstruosa Hammer, 1979.
