Properties of Arboreal Ant and Ground-Termite Nests in relation to Their Nesting Sites and Location in a Tropical-Derived Savanna

Abstract

Ecosystem engineers such as ants and termites play an important role in the fertility of tropical soils. Physicochemical analyses were thus carried out on some arboreal ant nests collected from mango (Mangifera indica), bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis), kola (Cola nitida), newbouldia plant (Newbouldia laevis), and oil bean plant (Pentaclethra macrophylla) and on ground nest of termite,Odontotermes sudanensisSjost. (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Nigeria. Arboreal nests, particularly those ofM. indica, were significantly richer in the chemical constituents sampled, compared to those of ground-termite nests or adjacent unaffected soils. Available water capacity of nests fromM. indica(60.0%) was significantly higher than those of other sites or locations sampled. While biogenic structures were sandy-loamy in texture, their corresponding adjacent soils were either sandy or sandy-loamy. Soils worked by ants and termites had greater proportions of silt-sized (17.9 versus 9.7) and clay-sized (19.2 versus 9.3) to the detriment of coarse-sized particles (51.2 versus 60.9) and fine-sand-sized particles (11.7 versus 20.1) relative to the adjacent soils. Generally, biogenic structures were about 348% richer in P than their corresponding adjacent soils; an attribute, which holds a strong promise in bioremediation and biofortification of soils especially during amendment.

Arboreal Crop Tree Termites in the Komkom Community Oyigbo Local Government Area in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

“…The nests and hollow of the trees provided nursery grounds for their development. This work shows that termites on trees are found in mud tubes or nests and this agrees with the works of Ugbomeh et al [17] and Echezona et al [21] who observed arboreal colonies that build nest and tunnels at various heights on trees. The total infestation of 9.8% of the trees in the study area shows that anthropogenic effects may have impacted adversely on termite homes as confirmed by some locals who were interviewed, due to felling of trees for timber, urbanization and development.…”

A rapid survey of the arboreal termites in a university environment in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

“…This means that it is possible to know the termites by their presentations on a particular tree: either as nests or mud tubes. Arboreal nests observed in Persea americana, E. guineensis, C. albidum, Echezona, Igwe, and Attama (2012) to an extent. They observed nests in P. macrophylla and M. indica, but nests were not found on M. indica in this study.…”

Effect of termite activity on soil under different land management strategies

“…This causes a relative increase in their percentage values in comparison to the surrounding soil in different ecosystems, such as pasture areas, high altitude grasslands, savannah, and tropical forests (DONOVAN et al, 2001;COSARINSKY, 2011;ECHEZONA et al, 2012;SARCINELLI et al, 2013). Clay, when ingested together with the organic matter from soil or litter and mixed with the fecal matter of termites, acts as a cementing material and provides greater cohesion and stability to the structure of termite nests (COSARINSKY, 2011), as well as increased moisture retention capacity and a better microclimate for the organism's activities within the colony (DONOVAN et al, 2001).…”

“…This is due to the increase in pH, porosity, clay content, organic matter, and nutrients in termite nests, as compared with the surrounding soil that has not been affected by these organisms (ACKERMAN et al, 2007;SARCINELLI et al, 2009;COSARINSKY, 2011;ECHEZONA et al, 2012;SARCINELLI et al, 2013). It is known that the resistant outer layer of the mounds built by Cornitermes cumulans is mainly made of soil, while the central chamber where the colony lives is rich in organic matter (REDFORD, 1984;FERREIRA et al, 2011).…”

“…However, these results considered all mounds constructed by different species of cupim, or by species that do not belong to the genus Cornitermes, and they were based on the comparison of surrounding soil with material present within 10 cm of the termite nests (the top) (ACKERMAN et al, 2007;ECHEZONA et al, 2012;SARCINELLI et al, 2013), with the external wall and the inner part of the termite nests (SARCINELLI et al, 2009) or with only the outer wall (COSARINSKY, 2011). Nevertheless, these studies were conducted in pasture areas and/or areas of natural regeneration of native vegetation, and there is no data of this kind referring to eucalyptus plantations, which is a type of soil management widely used in many different soil and climatic conditions.…”