The termites of the Mayombe Forest Reserve, Congo (Brazzaville): transect sampling reveals an extremely high diversity of ground-nesting soil feeders

Eggleton, Paul; Davies, Richard G.; Connétable, Sophie; Bignell, David E.; Rouland, C.

doi:10.1080/00222930110048918

Cited by 28 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…These traits equally apply to African (Colwell et al 2004). The abscissa is scaled logarithmically to reveal more clearly the logarithmic or asymptotic nature of curves rainforests, although these are also rich in soil-feeding Termitinae (Eggleton et al 1996(Eggleton et al , 2002. Mainland rainforests of Southeast Asia also accommodate a low abundance of Kalotermitidae but are characterized by the absence of soldierless Apicotermitinae and the dominance of Termitinae in the soil-feeding guild (Eggleton et al 1999;Eggleton 2000;Davies et al 2003a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical stratification of the termite assemblage in a neotropical rainforest

et al. 2006

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The importance of termites as decomposers in tropical forests has long been recognized. Studies on the richness and diversity of termite species and their ecological function have flourished in more recent times, but these have been mostly conducted in a thin stratum within a standing man's reach. Our aims were to evaluate the specific richness and composition of the termite assemblage in the canopy of a tropical rainforest and to determine its originality with respect to the sympatric ground-level fauna. We conducted systematic searches for canopy termites, together with conventional sampling of the sympatric ground-level fauna, in the San Lorenzo forest, Panama. We hypothesized that (1) the canopy accommodates two categories of wood-feeding termites (long-distance foragers and small-colony "one-piece" species) and possibly soil-feeders in suspended soil-like habitats; (2) due to the abundance of soil-feeders, the overall diversity of the ground fauna is higher than that of the canopy; (3) differences in microclimate and resource accessibility favour vertical stratification among wood-feeders. Sixty-three canopy samples yielded ten species of termites, all wood-feeders. Five of these were not found at ground level, although a total of 243 ground samples were collected, representing 29 species. In addition to long-distance foragers (Microcerotermes and Nasutitermes spp.) and small-colony termites (mostly Kalotermitidae), the canopy fauna included Termes hispaniolae, a wood-feeding Termitidae from an allegedly soil-feeding genus, living in large dead branches. Soil-feeders were absent from the canopy, probably because large epiphytes were scarce. As predicted, the ground fauna was much richer than that of the canopy, but the species richness of both habitats was similar when only wood-feeders were considered. Vertical stratification was strongly marked among wood-feeders, as all common species, apart from the arboreal-nesting Microcerotermes arboreus, could unequivocally be assigned to either a ground or a canopy group. The canopy, therefore, contributes significantly to the total species richness of the termite assemblage, and the diversity, abundance and ecological importance of canopy termites in tropical rainforests may be higher than previously recognized.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical stratification of the termite assemblage in a neotropical rainforest

et al. 2006

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“…The nesting groups were defined as: (1) hypogeal nesting (found below ground); (2) wood nesting (found in woody items); (3) epigeal (in mounds protruding above ground); and (4) arboreal (in tree nests) (Eggleton et al 2002).…”

Section: Direct Searchesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abundance and diversity of termites in a savanna woodland reserve in tropical Australia

Dawes-Gromadzki¹

2008

Australian Journal of Entomology

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This study contributes to the paucity of knowledge on the structure of Australian tropical savanna termite assemblages, compared with that available for tropical savannas elsewhere in the world. Termite species diversity, frequency of occurrence and functional diversity in Charles Darwin National Park, a savanna woodland reserve in tropical northern Australia, were assessed. In four 50 ¥ 50 m sites, a direct search and bait sampling protocol was used to sample mounds, standing and lying dead wood, litter, soil and arboreal nest microhabitats for termites between April and June 2003. Results were compared with a priori predictions of termite community structure based on the work by Braithwaite et al. (1988). Sixteen species from nine genera and three families (Mastotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae) were recorded, including the first record of Ephelotermes taylori (Hill) from open savanna woodland habitat and the first official record of Macrognathotermes errator Miller from north Australian savanna. The family Termitidae represented 69% of termite occurrences. From this family, the wood/soil interface feeder Nasutitermes eucalypti (Mjöberg) represented 30% of encounters. High levels of termite activity were recorded at baits within 6 weeks. Four nesting habits were represented: epigeal (mounds above ground), hypogeal (subterranean nests), nests within wood and arboreal nests. Termites were most frequently encountered in epigeal mounds and lying dead wood. Wood and wood/soil interface feeders were the most common. The findings partially supported the a priori predictions proposed. The termite assemblage structure was represented by species commonly found in other Northern Territory savanna woodland habitats. However, species diversity was lower; soil feeders and live wood feeders were less common and grass-harvesting species were absent. Soil nitrogen and phosphorus and species richness and patchiness of ground vegetation may contribute to these differences. The lower species diversity recorded contrasts with the richer termite faunas of tropical savannas recorded elsewhere.

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“…Termite assemblages are highly dependent on environmental quality (Bandeira & Vasconcellos, 2002;Eggleton et al, 2002a), soil-feeding species being especially sensitive to disturbance (Wood et al, 1982;Eggleton et al, 1995Eggleton et al, , 2002a. The African rainforest areas support rich termite faunas, with 80-90 species per locality (Eggleton et al, 1995(Eggleton et al, , 2002b, savannas are much poorer (20-30 species : Ferrar, 1982;Dosso et al, 2010Dosso et al, , 2013Davies et al, 2012;Hausberger & Korb, 2016). Very little is known of the local termite assemblages of miombo woodlands, except for a single study reporting 27 species from Nyika Plateau, Malawi (Donovan et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of high termitaria in the composition and structure of the termite assemblage in Miombo woodlands of southern Burundi

Nduwarugira

Mpawenayo

Roisin

2016

Insect Conserv Diversity

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Miombo woodlands cover extensive areas in southern and southeastern Africa, but are under high anthropogenic pressure. A conspicuous feature of this ecosystem is the presence of high termitaria (>2 m high) built by fungus‐growing termites (Macrotermitinae). Despite the fundamental role of termites in African ecosystems, miombo termite communities remain poorly known. We suspected high termitaria to play a structuring role for the whole termite assemblage of miombo woodlands in southern Burundi. In a formerly cleared area, in regeneration since 2009, we expected the termite assemblage to be highly impoverished. The newly growing termitaria of fungus growers might provide suitable bases for recolonisation by soil‐feeding species. We recorded 25 species from more than 1000 termite samples. Fungus growers were abundant everywhere. In preserved miombo, high termitaria were home to secondary soil‐feeding termite species, seldom encountered in the matrix between mounds. Bushes growing on termitaria also sustained wood‐feeding species. The most remarkable feature of the assemblage was the high frequency and diversity of soil‐feeding soldierless Apicotermitinae, especially in the matrix. Besides scarce Coptotermes wood feeders, Macrotermitinae were the sole inhabitants of the regenerating area. Our results emphasize the importance of high termitaria for particular soil‐feeding species and wood feeders associated with the vegetation growing on termitaria. They raise the question of the ecological factors allowing the coexistence of a rich assemblage of soldierless Apicotermitinae species in the nutrient‐poor matrix between mounds. The observations from regenerating miombo confirm the vulnerability of soil‐feeding termites to habitat degradation and provide baseline data for future studies of ecosystem restoration.

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The termites of the Mayombe Forest Reserve, Congo (Brazzaville): transect sampling reveals an extremely high diversity of ground-nesting soil feeders

Cited by 28 publications

References 6 publications

Vertical stratification of the termite assemblage in a neotropical rainforest

Vertical stratification of the termite assemblage in a neotropical rainforest

Abundance and diversity of termites in a savanna woodland reserve in tropical Australia

The role of high termitaria in the composition and structure of the termite assemblage in Miombo woodlands of southern Burundi

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