Dynamics of Biodiversity Parameters of Acarid Mites in Apiaries of the Uzhhorod District of Transcarpathia in Lowland Conditions

The work is devoted to clarifying the peculiarities of the structural and functional organization of acarid mite communities in the nests of Carpathian honey bees and determining the ecological factors that determine the dynamics of their numbers. Purpose – characteristics of the species composition of acarid mites and their population in bee nests in the lowland zone of Transcarpathia (using private apiaries in the Uzhhorod district as an example). Research objects were hive mites from the Acaridia group. Research material – honeycomb fragments, pollen, and other organic impurities collected from hives in the studied apiaries within the villages of Mali Heivtsi, Tysaagtelek and Velyka Dobron. A set of methods was used in the study: systematic analysis of scientific literature, laboratory microscopy with identification of acarids, calculation of ecological indices (dominance, density, frequency of occurrence) and methods of variational statistics (MS Excel 2010). Nine species of acarid mites were identified within the studied region. Four ecological groups were identified based on the structure of dominance: “dominant species” (Glycyphagus domesticus, Tyrophagus similis, Carpoglyphus lactis); “subdominant species” (Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Tyrophagus longior, Neoacotyledon redikorzevi); “subdominant species of the first order” (Neoacotyledon sokolovi) and “secondary members” (Monieziella berlesiana). The annual dynamics of the population of each species of acarids in hives was characterized by individual features. Depending on various factors, variations in the biodiversity parameters of acarid mites were observed in the studied apiaries of the Uzhgorod district. It has been proven that the minimum number of acarid mites is characteristic of “strong” and “very strong” bee colonies, especially in the third quarter of the year (July–September). The lowest biodiversity indicators (density, frequency of occurrence, and dominance index) were observed in mites of the species M. berlesiana. The rationale for the subsequent stages of the study is based on the need to establish the patterns of distribution of acarid mites depending on the altitude above sea level. The research focuses on a comparative analysis of the species composition and abundance of acarids in the lowland, foothill, and mountain zones of Transcarpathia.