TY - GEN A1 - Bingemer, Jana A1 - Pfeiffer, Martin A1 - Hohberg, Karin T1 - First 12 years of tardigrade succession in the young soils of a quickly evolving ecosystem T2 - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society N2 - Open-cast coal-mining creates a severe disturbance of ecological systems, resulting in post-mining areas that have lost their soils entirely and are exposed to extreme conditions. Nonetheless, these areas allow us to investigate the process of primary succession. We studied the first 12 years of soil tardigrade succession at ‘Chicken Creek’, an experimental site within the open-cast coal-mining area in Welzow Süd, Germany. A total of ten tardigrade genera and 13 species or species groups were identified at the site. Over time, the organic carbon content, proportion of silt and nutrient availability in the soil increased, and the soil particle size distribution and pH value changed significantly. The vegetation cover and nematode abundance increased, whereas tardigrade densities peaked in 2008 and decreased thereafter, as did their mean body size. Species replacement was obvious within this 12 year study period, and tardigrade species diversity increased, indicating that ecological niche diversity also increased throughout this time. Vegetation cover, soil particle size distribution and time were the most important factors influencing the tardigrade community. We also discuss further potential factors and the ability of terrestrial tardigrades to persist despite many environmental constraints, such as fluctuations in pH and moisture, and to colonize new habitats faster than most other animal groups. KW - ecosystem development KW - post-mining area KW - primary succession KW - morphometry Y1 - 2021 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-UBICO/frontdoor/index/index/docId/26632 SN - 1096-3642 SN - 0024-4082 N1 - related to research platform "Hühnerwasser" VL - 188 IS - 3 SP - 887 EP - 899 ER -