Oribatid mites in the Lake Mätäjärvi

Authors

• R. Niemi

Abstract

Three different periods can be separated in the development of the Lake Mätäjärvi. The first period is a sea phase. At that time the research area was a bay of the sea and the living conditions for the mites were impossible. In the second phase the lake had turned into some kind of waterside or swampy meadow with a high number of oribatid species and individuals. Human activities in the lake and in its environment make it difficult to interpret the biotope exactly. The low numbers of species and individuals as well as the appearance of certain compost species in the soil in the third phase indicate that the Lake Mätäjärvi is characterized by compost-like soil.