Effects of different land use patterns on seasonal termite species diversity within the Vhembe district of the Limpopo province, South Africa

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of three different land use types: mango orchards, maize fields and communal grazing lands on termite species distribution in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The main objective was to identify the termite species found in the area and investigate the effect of land use on termite species. Termites were collected from six study sites using a standardized transect sampling protocol and baiting methods in a transect of 2 × 100 m during the dry and wet seasons. A total of 18 termite species from 2 families (Termitidae and Rhinotermitidae), 5 subfamilies (Macrotermitinae, Amitermitinae, Apicotermitinae, Nasutitermitinae and Cubitermitinae) and 11 genera (Allodontotermes, Ancistrotermes, Macrotermes, Microtermes, Odontotermes, Microcerotermes, Rhadinotermes, Trinervitermes, Psammotermes, Schedorhinotermes and Cubitermes) were recorded. A higher species diversity index was observed for the wet season. Communal grazing resulted in a higher Shannon diversity index (H′) of 2.23 and Simpson diversity index (1-D) of 0.84 followed by mango orchard (H′ = 1.41, 1-D = 0.68), while maize field recorded the lowest (H′ = 1.07, 1-D = 0.48). Macrotermitinae constituted 77% of the total number of species recorded across all the land use types. Edible termite species recorded are important in rural communities to supplement human protein requirements and they provide ecosystem services thus, there is a need for studies that quantify the trade-off between costs (crop damage) and benefits of maintaining termites in agricultural landscapes.