Spatial patterns and morphology of termite (Macrotermes falciger) mounds in the Upper Katanga, D.R. Congo

Mujinya, Basile Bazirake; Adam, Myriam; Mees, Florias; Bogaert, Jan; Vranken, Isabelle; Erens, Hans; Baert, Geert; Ngongo, Michel; Ranst, Éric Van

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2013.10.015

Cited by 48 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In wet seasons, a characteristic flora often develops on termite mounds due to their particular composition and structure. Indeed, termite mounds are composed of clay aggregates containing micronutrients coming from deep horizons (10-12 m) and organic debris, more fertile than the surrounding topsoils [10,13,25,26], the latter being more frequently subject to erosion [6]. This specific vegetation makes them more easily identifiable on a continuous vegetation cover.…”

Section: Termite Mounds Identification Capacity Of Google Earth Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mound growth should also not be excluded, making them visible during the field campaign but too small at the image capture date. The morphological and compositional evolution related to the age of the termite colony should be further analysed as for the probability of correct identification and fertilization potential [13].…”

Section: Termite Mounds Identification Capacity Of Google Earth Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first parameter has indeed a higher influence on visibility, probably due to the shadows of the mounds in the image. On the other hand, the widest termite mounds are often older, sometimes abandoned by their inhabitants, so more likely to collapse, reducing their height and consequently their shadow [8,9,13]. In addition, as the slope of the termite mounds flattens over time, easier deposits accumulation hampers the distinction between the mound itself and the debris accumulated on it [8,26], so the diameter measures may not be representative of ground reality and lead to incoherent results.…”

Section: Termite Mounds Identification Capacity Of Google Earth Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lubumbashi is located in the Katangese copper belt and is well known for its copper and cobalt veins, contained in the Roan series, Upper Kundelungu [3]. The majority of local soils where termite mounds are found are yellow-red to red latosols and ferrasols [13]. To build their mounds, foraging termites use the clays contained in the deepest soil horizons [10].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Termite mounds are a potential soil amendment for agriculture [9][10][11]. In addition, the influence of human activities like deforestation on termites' behaviour and presence can make them a bio-indicator for anthropogenic land cover change or degradation [9,[12][13][14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Termite Mound Identification through Aerial Photographic Interpretation in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Methodology Evaluation

Vranken

Marielle

Basile

et al. 2014

Tropical Conservation Science

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Abstract:Tropical termites are of critical importance for ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services in woodland and savannah areas. Termite mounds can also be used as fertilizer and biological indicators of anthropogenic disturbance linked to agriculture or charcoal production. Remote sensing may help to identify and characterize termite mound density and distribution at low cost. To test its effectiveness, termite mounds were identified in the field and compared with the results of image interpretation of free Google Earth aerial photographs. This comparison was carried out for 17 sites in the hinterland of the mining city of Lubumbashi, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo, which faces high population growth, food insecurity, and intense fragmentation and degradation of the original Miombo woodland cover. The influences of mound height and diameter as well as the timing of the image capture (year and dry or wet season) were statistically tested. The actual number of termite mounds observed in the field was generally overestimated on the corresponding image. Height and wet season favoured correct identification, while spatial distribution was not significantly influenced by misidentifications. A corrective model was defined and its relevance statistically verified. Mound identification using Google Earth appears efficient so long as the precise individual mound position is not concerned. This approach represents considerable cost reduction for field surveys of termite mounds.Keywords: anthropogenic biological indicator, food self-sufficiency, Macrotermes, aerial photographic interpretation, woodland Résumé Les termites des régions tropicales sont d'une importance critique pour le fonctionnement et les services écosystémiques dans les régions de forêt claire et de savane. Les termitières peuvent également être utilisées comme engrais et bio-indicateurs de perturbations anthropiques telles que l'agriculture ou la production de charbon. La télédétection peut contribuer à identifier et caractériser la densité et la distribution des termitières à moindres frais. Afin de tester son efficacité, les termitières ont été identifiées sur le terrain et comparées avec les résultats d'interprétation de photographies aériennes Google Earth en libre accès. Cette comparaison a été appliquée sur 17 sites dans l'hinterland de la ville minière de Lubumbashi, Katanga, République Démocratique du Congo, confrontée à une croissance élevée de population, à l'insécurité alimentaire ainsi que d'intenses fragmentation et dégradation de la couverture originelle de forêt claire (Miombo). Les influences de la hauteur et du diamètre des termitières ainsi que de la période d'acquisition de l'image (année et saison) ont été testées statistiquement. Le nombre de termitières observées sur le terrain est généralement surestimé sur l'image. La hauteur et la saison des pluies en favorisent l'identification correcte, tandis que la distribution spatiale n'est pas significativement influencée par les erreurs d'identification. Un modèle correcti...

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Section: Termite Mounds Identification Capacity Of Google Earth Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Termite Mounds Identification Capacity Of Google Earth Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Termite Mounds Identification Capacity Of Google Earth Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Termite Mound Identification through Aerial Photographic Interpretation in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Methodology Evaluation

Vranken

Marielle

Basile

et al. 2014

Tropical Conservation Science

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Geology drives the spatial patterning and structure of termite mounds in an African savanna

et al. 2018

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Citation: Muvengwi, J, AB Davies, F Parrini, and ETF Witkowski. 2018. Geology drives the spatial patterning and structure of termite mounds in an African savanna. Ecosphere 9(3):e02148. 10.1002/ecs2.2148Abstract. Termite mounds perform important roles in savanna ecosystems, generating heterogeneity and influencing ecosystem processes across multiple trophic levels. However, the influence the environment and neighboring termite colonies have on mound spatial patterning and structure is poorly understood, despite the profound implications such dynamics can have on ecosystems. To better understand these drivers, we mapped the spatial distribution and size of active and inactive Macrotermes mounds in eight 1-km 2 plots on contrasting geologies, nutrient-rich granite and nutrient-poor basalt, in a semi-arid Zimbabwean savanna. Although mound density was not significantly different between basalt (5.5 mounds/ha) and granite (6.1 mounds/ha), termite mound structural attributes and spatial distribution patterns varied greatly between geologies. Mound size distributions differed between the geologies and mounds were 2.6 times taller and 3.9 times wider and had 15 times greater lateral surface area on granite. Subsequently, 6% of the total landscape was covered by mounds on granite compared with only 0.4% on basalt. On granite, large mounds exhibited significant over-dispersion at scales below 30 m, signifying density-dependent thinning. Furthermore, small mounds were clustered around large mounds, likely a result of the budding of new colonies comprising fully fledged castes less vulnerable to competition. In contrast, random patterning was evident on comparably homogenous basalt. Our results demonstrate the powerful influence geological substrate has on mound spatial patterning and structure, suggesting that the importance of termite mounds for ecosystem functioning is more pronounced on nutrient-poor granitic substrates than basalts because of the pronounced over-dispersion, which maximizes mound production per unit area, and much larger mound sizes here.

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Landscapes and Landforms of the Chobe Enclave, Northern Botswana

Mokatse

Diaz

Shemang

et al. 2022

World Geomorphological Landscapes

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The northern part of the Chobe Enclave (an administrative district of northern Botswana) is an agricultural area situated between relatively pristine national parks situated in the Middle Kalahari Basin. It belongs to the Linyanti-Chobe structural basin and constitutes a syntectonic depocenter formed within a large structural depression, known as the Okavango Graben, a tectonic structure of a likely trans-tensional nature. The landscape includes fossil landforms, such as sand dunes, pans, sand ridges, and carbonate islands resulting from palaeo-environmental and palaeo-drainage changes through the Quaternary and associated to (neo)tectonic processes. In addition to riverand wind-reworked Kalahari sands, the sediments include diatomites and carbonate deposits, forming inverted reliefs and originating from palustrine palaeo-environments. The Linyanti-Chobe basin is at the convergence of several ecoregions from tropical and subtropical grasslands to savannas and shrubland biomes. The hydrological cycle in the northern Chobe Enclave is governed by a complex interplay between the Okavango, Kwando, and Upper Zambezi drainage basins, which originate from tropical watersheds of the Angolan highlands. Finally, the widespread development of termite mounds impacts the diversity of soils and sediments of the northern Chobe Enclave, which is also reflected in the vegetation.

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Spatial patterns and morphology of termite (Macrotermes falciger) mounds in the Upper Katanga, D.R. Congo

Cited by 48 publications

References 25 publications

Termite Mound Identification through Aerial Photographic Interpretation in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Methodology Evaluation

Termite Mound Identification through Aerial Photographic Interpretation in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Methodology Evaluation

Geology drives the spatial patterning and structure of termite mounds in an African savanna

Landscapes and Landforms of the Chobe Enclave, Northern Botswana

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