Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Food Preferences and Foraging Strategies of Wood-Feeding Termites in a West African Savanna


Affiliations
1 UFR des Sciences de la Nature, Station d’Ecologie de Lamto/CRE, Pole de Recherche Environnement et Developpement Durable, Universite Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire
2 IEES-Paris (CNRS, IRD, UPMC, INRA, UPEC), UPMC, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France
 

The feeding preferences of termites in a Guinean savanna (Lamto, Côte d’Ivoire) were studied in the field to better understand the incidence of termite damages observed on adult trees, which, on interaction with fire, affect the dynamics of the tree community. Two separate multiple-choice test experiments were conducted on the six dominant tree species, aiming at determining preferences for the species and for wood conditions naturally encountered and likely to affect termite consumption behaviour. The preferences of termites were determined by their occurrence on standard-sized wood pieces and their behaviour during the first attack. Two fungus-growing termites, Ancistrotermes and Microtermes were frequently encountered on wood pieces, whereas wood feeders were absent. The two genera have different preferences, and they do not compete for the same food. Wood density and water content did not explain termite preference. Holes in the bark seem to facilitate termite entry into pieces of wood, whereas the action of fire on wood apparently makes it less attractive to termites. In the field, the decision by termites to forage on a given tree species seems to be more driven by habitat and accessibility differences than real food quality differences.

Keywords

Food Preference, Foraging Strategies, Tree Species, Wood-Feeding Termites.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Kambhampati, S. and Eggleton, P., Taxonomy and phylogeny of termites. In Termites: Evolution, Sociality, Symbioses, Ecology (eds Abe, T., Bignell, D. E. and Higashi, M.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2000, pp. 1–23.

  • Bignell, D. and Eggleton, P., Termites in ecosystems. In Termites: Evolution, Sociality, Symbioses, Ecology (eds Abe, T., Bignell, D. E. and Higashi, M.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2000, pp. 363–387.

  • Garnier-Sillam, S. and Harry, M., Distribution of humic compounds in mounds of some soil-feeding termite species of tropical rainforests: its influence on soil structure stability. Insect. Soc., 1995, 42, 167–185.

  • Lavelle, P. et al., Soil function in a changing world: the role of invertebrate ecosystems engineers. Eur. J. Soil Biol., 1997, 33, 159–193.

  • Akpesse, A., Kouassi, P. K., Tano, Y. and Lepage, M., Impact des termites dans les champs paysans de riz et de maïs en savane sub-soudanienne (Booro Borotou, Côte-d’Ivoire). Sci. Nat., 2008, 5, 121–131.

  • Constantino, R., The pest termites of South America: taxonomy, distribution and status. J. Appl. Entomol., 2002, 126, 355–365.

  • Fowler, H. G. and Forti, L. C., Status and prospects of termite problems and control in Brazil. Sociobiology, 1990, 17, 45–56.

  • Han, S. H., Degats causes par les termites sur les batiments dans la région de Dakar au senegal. Actes Coll. Insect. Soc., 2000, 13, 61–64.

  • N’Dri, A. B., Gignoux, J., Konate, S., Dembele, A. and Aidara, D., Origin of trunk damage in West African savanna trees: the interaction of fire and termites. J. Trop. Ecol., 2011, 27, 269–278.

  • N’Dri, A. B., Gignoux, J., Konate, S. and Aidara, D., The dynamics of hollowing in annually burnt savanna trees and its effect on adult tree mortality. Plant Ecol., 2014, 215, 27–37.

  • Gould, M. S., Lowe, A. J. and Clarke, G. P., The frequency of termite (Isoptera) Damage to tree species in Namakutwa forest, Tanzania. Sociobiology, 1993, 23, 189–198.

  • Menaut, J. C. and Cesar, J., Structure and primary productivity of Lamto savannas (Ivory Coast). Ecology, 1979, 60, 1197–1210.

  • Abbadie, L., Lepage, M. and Le Roux, X., Soil fauna at the forest–savanna boundary: role of termite mounds in nutrient cycling. In Nature and Dynamics of Forest-Savanna Boundaries (eds Furley, P. A., Proctor, J. and Ratter, J. A.), Chapman and Hall, London, UK, 1992, pp. 473–484.

  • Konate, S., Le Roux, X., Verdier, D. and Lepage, M., Effect of underground fungus-growing termites on carbon dioxide emission from soils at the chamber- and landscape-scales in an African savanna. Funct. Ecol., 2003, 17, 305–314.

  • Josens, G., Etudes biologiques et ecologiques des termites (Isoptera) de la savane de Lamto. Thèse de doctorat de l’Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 1972.

  • Yapi, A., Biologie ecologie et métabolisme digestif de quelques especes de termites humivores de savane. Thèse de 3eme cycle, Universite d’Abidjan, Abidjan, 1991.

  • Lepage, M., Abbadie, L., Josens, G., Konate, S. and Lavelle, P., Perturbations of soil carbon dynamics by soil fauna. In Lamto: Structure, Functioning and Dynamics of a Savanna Ecosystem (eds Abbadie, L. et al.), Springer Verlag, New York, USA, 2006, pp. 235–251.

  • Konate, S., Le Roux, X., Tessier, D. and Lepage, M., Influence of large termitaria on soil characteristics, soil water regime, and tree leaf shedding pattern in a West African savanna. Plant Soil, 1999, 206, 47–60.

  • Gautier, L., Contact foret-savane en Cote d’Ivoire centrale: evolution du recouvrement ligneux des savanes de la reserve de Lamto (sud du V baoule). Candollea, 1990, 45, 627–641.

  • Mordelet, P. and Menaut, J. C., Influence of trees on above-ground production dynamics of grasses in a humid savanna. J. Veg. Sci., 1995, 6, 223–228.

  • Josens, G., Etudes biolgique et écologique des termites (Isoptera) de la savane de Lamto Pakobo (Côte-d’Ivoire), volume 42 of Memoires de la classe des sciences, Serie 2. Academie royale de Belgique, Bruxelle, 1977.

  • Jones, D. T. and Eggleton, P., Sampling termite assemblages in tropical forests: testing a rapid biodiversity assessment protocol. J. Appl. Ecol., 2000, 37, 191–203.

  • Bouillon, A. and Mathot, G., Quel est ce termite Africain? Universite de Leopoldville, Leopoldville, 1965.

  • Bouillon, A. and Mathot, G., Quel est ce termite africain? Supplement N° 1. Universite de Lovanium, Kinshassa, 1966.

  • Bouillon, A. and Mathot, G., Quel est ce termite africain? Supplément N° 2. Universite Nationale du Zaïre, Kinshassa, 1971.

  • Webb, G. C., Keys of the Genera of the African Termites Adapted from Revision Der Termiten Afrikas of Sjoestedt, Ibadan University Press, Ibadan, Nigeria, 1961.

  • Grasse, P. P., Comportement, sociabilite, ecologie, evolution, systematique. Termitologia. Tome III. Masson, Paris, 1986.

  • Deligne, J., Caractères adaptatifs au régime alimentaire dans la mandibule des termites (Insectes Isoptères). CR Acad. Sci. Paris, 1966, 263, 1323–1325.

  • Sands, W. A., The Identification of Worker Castes of Termite Genera from Soils of Africa and the Middle East, CAB International, New York, USA, 1998.

  • Whitford, K. R., Hollows in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) trees. I. Hollow sizes, tree attributes and ages. For. Ecol. Manage., 2002, 160, 201–214.

  • Whitford, K. D. and Williams, M. R., Hollows in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) trees. II. Selecting trees to retain for hollow dependent fauna. For. Ecol. Manage., 2002, 160, 215–232.

  • Monnier, Y., Les effects des feux de brousse sur une savane preforestiere de Cote d'Ivoire. Etud. Eburneennes, 1968, 9, 1–260.

  • Stronach, N. R. H. and MacNaughton, S. J., Grassland fire dynamics in the Serengeti ecosystem, and a potential method of retrospectively estimating fire energy. J. Appl. Ecol., 1989, 26, 1025–1033.

  • Miranda, A. C., Miranda, H. S., Dias, I. O. and Souza, B. D. F., Soil and air temperatures during prescribed cerrado fires in Central Brazil. J. Trop. Ecol., 9, 1993, 313–320.

  • Grasse, P. P., Recherche sur la systematique et la biologie des termites de l’Afrique Occidentale Francaise. Premiere partie, Protermitidae, Mesotermitidae, Metatermitidae (Termitinae). Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr., 1937, 106, 1–100.

  • Mora, P., Seugea, C., Rossib, J. P. and Roulanda, C., Abundance of biogenic structures of earthworms and termites in a mango orchard. Eur. J. Soil Biol., 2006, 42, S250–S253.

  • Behr, E. A., Behr, C. T. and Wilson, L. F., Influence of wood hardness on feeding by the Eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 1972, 65, 457–460.

  • Basu, P., Food preference and interspecific interactions in fungus-growing termite assemblage in a West African savanna. Curr. Sci., 2011, 100(1), 77–83.

  • Lepage, M., Abbadie, L. and Mariotti, A., Food habits of sympatric termite species (Isoptera, Macrotermitinae) as determined by stable carbon isotope analysis in a Guinean savanna (Lamto, Côte d’Ivoire). J. Trop. Ecol., 1993, 9, 303–311.

  • Mitchell, J. D., Termites as pests of crops, forestry, rangeland and structures in southern Africa and their control. Sociobiology, 2002, 40, 47–69.

  • Pearce, J. W., Logan, J. W. M. and Tiben, A., Termites (Isoptera) from the Darfur region of the Sudan with comments on their pest status. J. Arid Environ., 1995, 30, 197–206.

  • Rajagopal, D., Economically important termite species in India. Sociobiology, 2002, 40, 33–46.

  • Rouland-Lefevre, C. and Mora, P., Control of Ancistrotermes guineensis Silvestri (Termitidae: Macrotermitinae), a pest of sugarcane in Chad. Int. J. Pest Manage., 2002, 48, 81–86.

  • Dosso, K., Konate, S., Aidara, D. and Linsenmair, K. E., Termite diversity and abundance across fire-induced habitat variability in a tropical moist savanna (Lamto, Central Côte d’Ivoire). J. Trop. Ecol., 2010, 26, 323–334.

  • Garcia, C., Les termites champigonnistes de Lamto: structure du peuplement et compétition interspécifique, DEA d’Ecologie, Université Paris 6, 1996.

  • Konate, S., Structure, dynamique et role des buttes termitiques dans le fonctionnement d'une savane préforestiere (Lamto, Côte d'Ivoire): le termite champignoniste Odontotermes comme ingenieur de l’ecosysteme. Thèse de doctorat de l'Université de Paris 6, France, 1998.

  • Werner, P. A. and Prior, L. D. Tree-piping termites and growth and survival of host trees in savanna woodland of north Australia. J. Trop. Ecol., 2007, 23, 611–622.

  • Stewart, A. D. and Zalucki, M. P., Polyethism and comparability of termite choice assays in a model system using Microcerotermes turneri (Termitinae: Termitinae): implications for standardised testing techniques. Sociobilogy, 2006, 48, 741–758.

  • Inta, R., Evans, T. A., Lai, J. C. S. and Lenz, M., What do vibrations have to do with termites' food choice? Acoustics Australia, 2007, 35, 73–108.

  • Ngee, P. S., Tashiro, A., Yoshimura, T., Jaal, Z. and Lee, C. Y., Wood preference of selected Malaysian subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae, Termitidae). Sociobiology, 2004, 43, 535–550.

  • Waller, D. A, Jones, C. G. and La Fage, J. P., Measuring wood preference in termites. Entomol. Exp. Appl., 1990, 56, 117–123.

  • Bultman, J. D., Beal, R. H. and Ampong, F. F. K., Natural resistance of tropical African woods to Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. For. Prod. J., 1979, 29, 46–51.

  • Delaplane, K. S. and La Fage, J. P., Preference for moist wood by the Formosan subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). J. Econ. Entomol., 1989, 82, 95–100.

  • Green, J. M., Scharf, M. E. and Bennett, G. W., Impacts of soil moisture level on consumption and movement of three sympatric subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in a laboratory assay. J. Econ. Entomol., 2005, 98, 933–937.

  • Wong, N. and Lee, C., Influence of different substrate moistures on wood consumption and movement patterns of Microcerotermes crassus and Coptotermes gestroi (Blattodea: Termitidae, Rhinotermitidae). J. Econ. Entomol., 2010, 103, 437–442.


Abstract Views: 340

PDF Views: 94




  • Food Preferences and Foraging Strategies of Wood-Feeding Termites in a West African Savanna

Abstract Views: 340  |  PDF Views: 94

Authors

A. B. N’Dri
UFR des Sciences de la Nature, Station d’Ecologie de Lamto/CRE, Pole de Recherche Environnement et Developpement Durable, Universite Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire
J. Gignoux
IEES-Paris (CNRS, IRD, UPMC, INRA, UPEC), UPMC, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France
S. Konate
UFR des Sciences de la Nature, Station d’Ecologie de Lamto/CRE, Pole de Recherche Environnement et Developpement Durable, Universite Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract


The feeding preferences of termites in a Guinean savanna (Lamto, Côte d’Ivoire) were studied in the field to better understand the incidence of termite damages observed on adult trees, which, on interaction with fire, affect the dynamics of the tree community. Two separate multiple-choice test experiments were conducted on the six dominant tree species, aiming at determining preferences for the species and for wood conditions naturally encountered and likely to affect termite consumption behaviour. The preferences of termites were determined by their occurrence on standard-sized wood pieces and their behaviour during the first attack. Two fungus-growing termites, Ancistrotermes and Microtermes were frequently encountered on wood pieces, whereas wood feeders were absent. The two genera have different preferences, and they do not compete for the same food. Wood density and water content did not explain termite preference. Holes in the bark seem to facilitate termite entry into pieces of wood, whereas the action of fire on wood apparently makes it less attractive to termites. In the field, the decision by termites to forage on a given tree species seems to be more driven by habitat and accessibility differences than real food quality differences.

Keywords


Food Preference, Foraging Strategies, Tree Species, Wood-Feeding Termites.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi01%2F186-192