The Effects of Fire and Termites on a Zambian Woodland Soil

Trapnell, C. G.; Friend, Michael; Chamberlain, G. T.; Birch, Heidi

doi:10.2307/2258774

Cited by 78 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In contrast, N-fixing species are usually limited by P availability (Högberg 1986), which may explain the relative paucity of such species among canopy trees in miombo woodland. The frequency of nodulation among shallower rooted shrub and herb species, and among species on regularly burnt sites, probably reflects the slightly higher levels of extractable P in the topsoils (Tables 2.2 and 2.3), a consequence of the increase in soil pH on regularly burnt sites, due to cation enrichment, as well as periodic inputs of inorganic P at the surface after fire (Trapnell et al 1976;Frost and Robertson 1987).…”

Section: Mycorrhizaementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Experiments in many parts of Africa, including some in miombo woodlands, have shown woody biomass and soil carbon to increase if fires are excluded (Trapnell et al 1976). Permanent fire exclusion is virtually impossible in the strongly seasonal miombo climate, but a reduction in frequency from the current annual-to-triennial norm to once a decade is probably achievable at reasonable cost.…”

Section: Bob Scholesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is a consequence of two factors: the widespread occurrence and abundance of termites; and the frequent incidence of fire (Trapnell et al 1976;Jones 1989). The size, density and regularity of tall termitaria is one of the prominent features of miombo woodland landscapes.…”

Section: Termites Fire and Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result of the concentration and decomposition of litter in mounds, the levels of soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and exchangeable cations in areas between mounds are much lower than in areas from which termites are absent (Table 2.11). Some of the differences in soil properties may reflect intrinsic differences due to parent material, landform and position in the landscape which also affect the occurrence of termites, but even when these environmental factors are taken into account, the conclusion that termites have had a significant effect on soil properties still holds (Trapnell et al 1976;Jones 1989).…”

Section: Termites Fire and Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…CEC (me%) = 0.119 clay (%) + 2.922 organic carbon (%) -0.212 (R 2 = 0.492, F 2,51 = 24.668, p < 0.0001: data from Ballantyne 1956;Brocklington 1956;Watson 1964;Webster 1965;Astle 1969;Trapnell et al 1976;Young 1976;Stromgaard 1984a;Mapiki 1988; Lenvain and Pauwelyn 1988;Hatton and Swift, pers. comm.).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa

B.M.¹

1996

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Section: Mycorrhizaementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Bob Scholesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Termites Fire and Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Termites Fire and Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa

B.M.¹

1996

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Nitrogen cycling in pastoral livestock systems in Sub‐Saharan Africa: knowns and unknowns

Carbonell

Merbold

Díaz‐Pinés

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

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Pastoral systems are the dominant livestock production system in arid and semiarid regions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). They are often the only form of agriculture that can be practised due to unfavourable climate and soil fertility levels that prevent crop cultivation. Pastoralism can have negative impacts on the environment, including land degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and other gases to the atmosphere, soil erosion, water pollution and biodiversity loss. Here, we review the current knowledge on nitrogen (N) cycling, storage and loss pathways, with an emphasis on identification of N emission hotspots.Our review reports a large uncertainty in the amount of N lost as ammonia from excreta and manure storage, as well as N losses via nitrate and DON leaching. We also found that another major N loss pathway (18%) -soil N 2 emissions -has not yet been measured. In order to summarize the available information, we use a virtual pastoral farm, with characteristics and management practices obtained from a real farm, Kapiti Research Station in Kenya. For outlining N flows at this virtual farm, we used published data, data from global studies, satellite imagery and geographic information system (GIS) tools. Our results show that N inputs in pastoral systems are dominated by atmospheric N deposition (approx. 80 %), while inputs due to biological nitrogen fixation seems to play a smaller role. A major N loss pathway is nitrogen leaching (nitrate > DON) from pastures (33%). Cattle enclosures (bomas), where animals are kept during night, represent N emissions hotspots, representing 16 % of the total N losses from the system. N losses via ammonia volatilization and N 2 O were four and three orders of magnitude higher from bomas than from the pasture, respectively. Based on our results, we further identify future research requirements and highlight the urgent need for experimental data collection to quantify nitrogen losses from manure in animal congregation areas. Such information is needed to improve our understanding on N cycling in pastoral systems in semi-arid regions and to provide practical recommendations for managers that can help with decision-making on management strategies in pastoral systems in semi-arid savannas.

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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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The Effects of Fire and Termites on a Zambian Woodland Soil

Cited by 78 publications

References 9 publications

The Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa

The Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa

Nitrogen cycling in pastoral livestock systems in Sub‐Saharan Africa: knowns and unknowns

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

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