Biogeochemical Survey of Termite Mounds and their Vegetal Cover: A Case Study from Agnigundala Base Metal Province in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Trace element (Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni and Cd) analysis of termite mounds, their adjoining surface soils, as well as plants developed on termite mounds and on their adjoining surface soils was carried out. A biogeochemical parameter viz., biological absorption coefficient (BAC) was calculated to characterise the intensity of enrichment or depletion of trace elements in termite mounds and also in plants from their substrate. Enrichment or depletion of trace elements in termite mounds is discussed with reference to the type of mound i.e., barren (devoid of any vegetation), monophytio(co1onised with a single taxonomic plant species) and polyphytic (colonised with more than one taxonomic plant species). The study reveals that: (1) All barren and monophytic termite mounds showed higher concentration of Cu than that of their surface soils, (2) Polyphytic termite mounds showed lower concentration of Cu and Zn than that of their surface soils, and (3) The plant species occurring on polyphytic termite mounds showed higher BAC values for Cu and Zn than the same species on their adjoining surface soil.