Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest Himalaya
This study investigates the distribution of the soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis (Order Geophilomorpha), in the moist temperate forest of the Northwest Himalayas, located in Himri, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. Centipedes were collected using a standardized 25 × 25 cm quadrat sampling...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Sciendo
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Folia Oecologica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2025-0011 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823860530027167744 |
|---|---|
| author | Negi Javaid Diksha Ahmed Shakoor Sambyal Deepali Stašiov Slavomír Julka Jatinder Mohan |
| author_facet | Negi Javaid Diksha Ahmed Shakoor Sambyal Deepali Stašiov Slavomír Julka Jatinder Mohan |
| author_sort | Negi Javaid Diksha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the distribution of the soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis (Order Geophilomorpha), in the moist temperate forest of the Northwest Himalayas, located in Himri, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. Centipedes were collected using a standardized 25 × 25 cm quadrat sampling method. We examined the influence of various environmental and edaphic parameters on its populations across different forest areas (north, northeast, southwest facing aspects). The north aspect exhibited higher density due to more favourable soil conditions, including higher phosphorus and organic carbon, which supported larger populations of detritivore earthworms, likely prey for T. nepalensis. These findings underscore the role of microhabitat characteristics in shaping centipede distribution and highlight implications for forest management strategies aimed at conserving soil biodiversity and enhancing forest productivity. Our results indicate that average soil moisture levels (25.8% to 30.5%) are conducive to the habitat requirements of T. nepalensis, which thrives in moist environments. Notably, population densities varied significantly, with lower density in the northeastern aspect, correlated with reduced soil phosphorus concentrations and increased acidity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd945ff6da304887b65b04018ac7f5fa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1338-7014 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Folia Oecologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd945ff6da304887b65b04018ac7f5fa2025-02-10T13:25:46ZengSciendoFolia Oecologica1338-70142025-01-0152110511210.2478/foecol-2025-0011Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest HimalayaNegi Javaid Diksha0Ahmed Shakoor1Sambyal Deepali2Stašiov Slavomír3Julka Jatinder Mohan4School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan 173212, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaZoological Survey of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, M Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, IndiaSchool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan 173212, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Biology and General Ecology, Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 2117/24, SK-960 01, Zvolen, SlovakiaSchool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan 173212, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaThis study investigates the distribution of the soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis (Order Geophilomorpha), in the moist temperate forest of the Northwest Himalayas, located in Himri, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. Centipedes were collected using a standardized 25 × 25 cm quadrat sampling method. We examined the influence of various environmental and edaphic parameters on its populations across different forest areas (north, northeast, southwest facing aspects). The north aspect exhibited higher density due to more favourable soil conditions, including higher phosphorus and organic carbon, which supported larger populations of detritivore earthworms, likely prey for T. nepalensis. These findings underscore the role of microhabitat characteristics in shaping centipede distribution and highlight implications for forest management strategies aimed at conserving soil biodiversity and enhancing forest productivity. Our results indicate that average soil moisture levels (25.8% to 30.5%) are conducive to the habitat requirements of T. nepalensis, which thrives in moist environments. Notably, population densities varied significantly, with lower density in the northeastern aspect, correlated with reduced soil phosphorus concentrations and increased acidity.https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2025-0011centipedesecologyedaphic parametersgeophilomorphsnorthwest himalayastemperate forest |
| spellingShingle | Negi Javaid Diksha Ahmed Shakoor Sambyal Deepali Stašiov Slavomír Julka Jatinder Mohan Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest Himalaya Folia Oecologica centipedes ecology edaphic parameters geophilomorphs northwest himalayas temperate forest |
| title | Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest Himalaya |
| title_full | Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest Himalaya |
| title_fullStr | Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest Himalaya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest Himalaya |
| title_short | Distribution and abundance of a soil centipede, Tygarrup nepalensis Shinohara, 1965 (Mecistocephalidae: Geophilomorpha: Chilopoda) in a moist temperate forest in Northwest Himalaya |
| title_sort | distribution and abundance of a soil centipede tygarrup nepalensis shinohara 1965 mecistocephalidae geophilomorpha chilopoda in a moist temperate forest in northwest himalaya |
| topic | centipedes ecology edaphic parameters geophilomorphs northwest himalayas temperate forest |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2025-0011 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT negijavaiddiksha distributionandabundanceofasoilcentipedetygarrupnepalensisshinohara1965mecistocephalidaegeophilomorphachilopodainamoisttemperateforestinnorthwesthimalaya AT ahmedshakoor distributionandabundanceofasoilcentipedetygarrupnepalensisshinohara1965mecistocephalidaegeophilomorphachilopodainamoisttemperateforestinnorthwesthimalaya AT sambyaldeepali distributionandabundanceofasoilcentipedetygarrupnepalensisshinohara1965mecistocephalidaegeophilomorphachilopodainamoisttemperateforestinnorthwesthimalaya AT stasiovslavomir distributionandabundanceofasoilcentipedetygarrupnepalensisshinohara1965mecistocephalidaegeophilomorphachilopodainamoisttemperateforestinnorthwesthimalaya AT julkajatindermohan distributionandabundanceofasoilcentipedetygarrupnepalensisshinohara1965mecistocephalidaegeophilomorphachilopodainamoisttemperateforestinnorthwesthimalaya |