Nest Population Structure and Wood Litter Consumption by Microcerotermes indistinctus (Isoptera) in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest, Northeastern Brazil.

Reberth R B Barca,Emanuelly F Lucena,Alexandre Vasconcellos

doi:10.3390/insects9030097

Reberth R B Barca, Emanuelly F Lucena + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9030097

Copy DOI

Abstract

Termites are abundant arthropods in tropical ecosystems and actively participate in the process of litter decomposition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the population structure of Microcerotermes indistinctus in arboreal nests and to estimate their contribution to the consumption of wood litter in an area of Caatinga, a type of seasonally dry tropical forest located in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The populations of fifteen nests were quantified and separated into castes, “larvae”, and eggs. Wood blocks of four typical Caatinga species were offered to termites under laboratory conditions. Litter production was estimated in the area over the course of one year. The mean population size of M. indistinctus was 73,897 individuals/nest, while the mean nest density in the area was 25 active nests/ha. Total consumption of the four types of wood was estimated to be 10.5 mg of wood/g termite (fresh weight)/day. Based on consumption and population size, M. indistinctus consumes 0.35% of the total litter and 1.71% of the annual production of branches and twigs in the area. Wood-consuming termites are highly affected by anthropogenic disturbances in the semi-arid region of Brazil, putting the ecosystem services they perform related to the process of litter decomposition at risk.

Highlights

Termites are eusocial insects with a predominantly tropical and subtropical distribution [1]. they are known primarily for the damage they cause to the urban environment and agriculture, the great majority of termite species play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter and in the formation and composition of soils in tropical ecosystems [2,3]
Estimates of population sizes and rates of resource consumption by termites can provide essential information regarding the role of these insects in the dynamics of nutrient cycling and energy flow in ecosystems [5]
The mean population size of nests of M. indistinctus was within the range recorded for other species of the genus in the Neotropical Region, as well as in the Afrotropical Region [8,12,22]

Summary

Introduction

Termites are eusocial insects with a predominantly tropical and subtropical distribution [1]. They are known primarily for the damage they cause to the urban environment and agriculture, the great majority of termite species play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter and in the formation and composition of soils in tropical ecosystems [2,3]. A considerable number of termite species consume wood at some stage of decomposition, thereby exerting a strong influence on the cycling of nutrients present in this resource [4]. Estimates of population sizes and rates of resource consumption by termites can provide essential information regarding the role of these insects in the dynamics of nutrient cycling and energy flow in ecosystems [5].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion