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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Termite assemblages in a West-African semi-deciduous forest and teak plantations
Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, Volume 110, No. 3-4, Year 2005
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Description
Responses of termite assemblages to the conversion of semi-deciduous forest into teak plantations were studied in the Lama Forest Reserve in Benin, West Africa. Four belt transect surveys were run in each of the two forest types, adopting a modified termite diversity assessment protocol. Termite assemblages were remarkably species-poor in both forest types, with only 19 species encountered altogether. The low species richness was due to the rarity of soil-feeders of the soil/humus interface and the absence of true soil-feeders in the compact vertisol soil. Species richness was significantly higher in semi-deciduous forest than in teak plantations, but termite encounters were significantly lower. Termite assemblage and feeding group structure differed significantly among forest types. Wood-feeders were recorded only in semi-deciduous forest. In contrast, fungus-growers were more species-rich and about four times more abundant in teak plantations, mainly due to one Ancistrotermes species. The humification score, which depicts the position of termite assemblages along a gradient of increasing humification of their food substrate, was significantly higher in teak plantations, due to the absence of wood-feeders and the preponderance of fungus-growers. Combined principal components and multiple regression analysis identified two significant predictors of termite assemblages, soil water content and leaf litter biomass. The abundance of fungus-growers in teak plantations seemed to be mainly related to the high leaf litter biomass. Indirect evidence also suggests that lower predation pressure by ants on termites in teak plantations may have contributed to the abundance of termites. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Attignon, Serge Eric
Benin, Cotonou
University of Abomey-calavi
Switzerland, Basel
Universitat Basel
Lachat, Thibault
Switzerland, Basel
Universitat Basel
Sinsin, Brice Augustin
Benin, Cotonou
University of Abomey-calavi
Nagel, Peter
Switzerland, Basel
Universitat Basel
Peveling, Ralf
Switzerland, Basel
Universitat Basel
Statistics
Citations: 55
Authors: 5
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.agee.2005.04.020
ISSN:
01678809
Research Areas
Environmental
Food Security
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Study Locations
Multi-countries
Benin