Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

Abstract This communication presents preliminary results of studies on the mite fauna observed in the spruce stands of the Bucegi Massif in central Romania. In the collected material a total of 6436 specimens were found, which were classified to 62 species from 15 families. The most numerous were the species Veigaia nemorensis (1660 individuals), Leptogamasus parvulus (804) and Leptogamasus tectegynellus (694), whereas Veigaia nemorensis (224 samples), Neopodocinum mrciaki (150) and Pachyseius humeralis (150) were observed in the biggest number of samples. In the litter layer a total of 4842 specimens were found of mites belonging to 54 species, whereas in the humus layer it was 1594 specimens belonging to 47 species. The species similarity index between mite communities of the litter and humus layers was very high and amounts to over 77%.