Seasonality in foraging behaviour of Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) in the Caatinga of Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The foraging activity of Constrictotermes cyphergaster was investigated in the Caatinga of Northeast Brazil. Eight colonies were monitored for seven days, during both dry and wet seasons. Foraging activity occurred in exposed columns at night, generally between 22:00 and 05:00 h. During the wet season, foraging activity was significantly higher, with one bout every 1.6 AE 0.2 days, than the dry season, when foraging bouts were performed every 1.9 AE 0.3 days. Foraging activity throughout the study colonies presented high temporal synchronization. In both seasons, foraging was negatively correlated with air temperature and positively correlated with humidity. The foraging trails were often re-utilized and ranged from 1 to 18.5 meters in length. No difference between seasons in the area potentially utilized by the study colonies was observed. Approximately 51000 individuals participated in the foraging bout during the dry season, whereas some 87000 individuals participated in the foraging bout during the wet season. This corresponds to 43 and 74% of the estimated total nest population for the dry and wet seasons respectively. The average ratio soldiers:workers during foraging was 1 : 1.2 in the dry season and 1 : 2 in the wet season. The higher frequency and number of individuals foraging during the wet season in the present study are likely to be a strategy from C. cyphergaster to store energy reserves to be utilized during the dry season.

Biomass and population structure of Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Silvestri) (Isoptera: termitidae) in the dry forest of caatinga, northeastern Brazil

“…Moura et al (2006b) observed in the same area where this study was performed, that during the wet season, colonies of C. cyphergaster of workers and in the frequency of foraging events. According to Buxton (1981), in the Savannas of Kenya, the foraging leading to a higher consumption of wood.…”

“…In the caatinga, the swarming period of C. cyphergaster is usually between March and May (Moura et al 2006b). That explains the fact that, in the present study, the alates were only found during the wet season, despite the fact that larvae and nymphs of several instars development were found during both seasons.…”

Bibliometrics on One of the Largest Termite Inventories in the Cerrado: "Studies on Termites From the Mato Grosso State, Brazil by Aga Mathews 1977"

“…Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Silvestri, 1901) was the most studied species (10 studies). Constrictotermes cyphergaster has been extensively studied in the ecosystems where it occurs, and studies citing "Mathews 1977" have regarded its interaction with other species residing the termite nest (Cunha & Brandão, 2000;Cunha et al, 2003;Cristaldo et al, 2012;Cristaldo et al, 2014), supplementary reproductives (Cunha & Brandão, 2002), eating habits (Moura et al, 2006a;Moura et al, 2006b), link between nest building and some plant species (Lima-Ribeiro et al, 2006;Silva et al, 2007;Bezerra-Gusmão et al, 2013), nest population and biomass (Vasconcellos et al, 2007), development of the caste system (Moura et al, 2011), and contribution to the carbon cycle (Bezerra-Gusmão et al, 2011).…”

Soil-sampled Termites in Two Contrasting Ecosystems within the Semiarid Domain in Northeastern Brazil: Abundance, Biomass, and Seasonal Influences

“…The abundances and biomasses of termites at the dry tropical forests site did not demonstrate significant variations between the dry and rainy seasons. Other studies undertaken in seasonally dry tropical forests in the region, however, demonstrate an effect on vertical distribution, foraging and abundance of insects in general (Moura et al, 2006;Araújo et al, 2010;Vasconcellos et al, 2010a), including termites (Melo & Bandeira, 2004;Vasconcellos et al, 2010b). Apparently, other characteristics, such as food availability, soil moisture, and interspecific interactions, could minimize climatic effects on soil fauna in seasonally dry tropical forest ecosystems.…”

“…Arthropods occupying the leaf litter/soil complex are generally influenced by the climatic characteristics of the host ecosystems (Adis et al, 1989;Harada & Bandeira, 1994;Dibog et al, 1998;Pinheiro et al, 2002;Doblas-Miranda et al, 2007). The assemblage structure and foraging of termites in the Neotropical region have been observed to be associated with climatic elements, especially temperature and rainfall regime, both in humid forests (Torres & Bandeira, 1985;Cancello et al, 2014) and in semiarid ecosystems (Moura et al, 2006;Araújo et al, 2010), yet the humid forest sites show higher rates of biomass and abundance of termites.…”