Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions from Different-Sized Groups of Eastern Subterranean Termites

Abstract

Abstract. Metabolic gas emissions released into the environment from termites contribute to overall soil and air gaseous composition. However, because subterranean termites are not evenly distributed in soil, it is difficult to understand their contribution of gases to the environment. The research presented here includes a method to measure baseline metabolic gas concentrations from subterranean termites in relation to increasing group sizes over time. Metabolic gas emissions were determined from defined numbers (group sizes) of the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), foraging in laboratory test arenas. Four groups, each with 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, or 300 R. flavipes workers previously collected from three field colonies were analyzed for CO2 and CH4 emissions over time. CO2 and CH4 concentrations in air samples increased linearly as group size increased across all sampling events. CO2 emissions from as few as 50 termites ranged from 442.6 to 660.9 ppm, a net increase of 3...