First Assessment of Soil Mite Communities in Togo with Special Reference to Mesostigmata as Potential Biological Control Agents

Abstract

A survey of soil arthropods was conducted in two contrasting localities of southern Togo, SEAL (Agronomic Experimental station) and GOUNOU KOPE, to assess the richness of soil mites, with a focus on Mesostigmata with potential in biological control. A total of 14,369 arthropods were collected, of which 11,510 were from SEAL and 2,859 from GOUNOU KOPE. Mites were the most abundant group overall (66.2%; 9,056 individuals), followed by Collembola (19.6%) and other insects (14.3%). Arthropod abundances varied by site and land-use type: uncultivated soils supported higher densities than cultivated soils at SEAL, whereas the opposite trend was observed at GOUNOU KOPE. Mite abundance was significantly influenced by site (df = 1, F = 49.16, P < 0.0001), soil type (df = 1, F = 50.12, P < 0.0001), and season (df = 1, F = 36.70, P < 0.0001), with higher densities consistently found at SEAL, in uncultivated soils, and during the rainy season. Taxonomic analysis revealed two mite orders, Oribatida and Mesostigmata, with Oribatida dominating across sites and land-use types. Within Mesostigmata, three families were identified: Ologamasidae, Parasitidae, and Uropodidae. Ologamasidae was the most abundant family, representing 70% and 67% of Mesostigmata in cultivated and uncultivated soils at SEAL, and 56% and 59% at GOUNOU KOPE, respectively. These findings highlight marked spatial and seasonal variation in soil arthropod communities and underline the predominance of predatory Mesostigmata families with potential relevance for biological control in West African agroecosystems.