author(s)
G Narasa Reddy, KT Thara, AM Sharanappa and HH Parasappa

abstract
Cryptostigmatid mites play an invaluable role in the maintenance of the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil ecosystem. The activity of these alters the physic-chemical properties of the soil. Climatic factors play an important role on the soil and litter dwelling cryptostigmatids. With this concept a field experiment was carried out with varied doses of organic and inorganic fertilizer at GKVK Bangalore. The results revealed that cryptostigmatids indicated a significant positive relation with exchangeable calcium (0.59), exchangeable magnesium (0.51), available phosphorus (0.47), available potassium (0.32), available nitrogen (0.25), soil organic carbon (0.27) microbial biomass carbon (0.39) and soil pH (0.25). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the influence of these soil chemical parameters on the abundance of soil cryptostigmatids was up to 43 percent. The impact of abiotic factors on cryptostigmatids was 64 percent.