Population dynamics of lichenicolous mites at Dungeness

BARLOW, S. L. & FERRY, B. W., 1989. Population dynamics of lichenicolous mites at Dungeness . A quantitative and, to a degree qualitative, assessment of mite populations was made on seven lichen species of the late succession communities at Dungeness.
No specific mite numbers/lichen species association was found, but a cyclic, bi-modal response curve was obtained for general mite numbers on all seven lichen species samples (F = 25.01, P <0.001).
A range of climatic parameters were assessed in relation to the mite population on lichens. Only temperature was shown to be correlated (negatively) with mite numbers (F = 6.3, P <0.05), whilst rainfall and humidity were not significantly correlated (F = 3.99, P £0.05, and F = 0.52, P £0.4 respectively).