Refuge in architecture: mounds and diversity of termite species from a Sahel and Sudan savannah
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Refuge in architecture: mounds and diversity of termite species from a Sahel and Sudan savannah I. P. Aiki 1
&
A. A. Yusuf 1,2 & C. W. W. Pirk 1,2
Received: 26 June 2020 / Accepted: 9 October 2020 # African Association of Insect Scientists 2020
Abstract Mounds are prominent architectural features found in savannah ecosystems, where they play important roles. Although constant in form for many species, the appearance and type of mound can vary with environmental conditions such as rainfall, temperature, vegetation and locality. However, variability between mounds of same species in different habitats like savannah is not well studied. Here we compared the densities and architectural designs of mounds built by seven species of mound building termites found in two different savannah habitats. A low diversity (Shannon diversity index) was obtained for the Sahel compared to the Sudan region. Simpson’s diversity shows 64% and 67% chances of encountering any two of the species from Sahel and Sudan savannah respectively. Within species, there were no main difference in height, basal circumference and width of mounds except for the mounds of Macrotermes bellicosus. Commonly built mounds by the species were cathedral, cone, dome and mushroom shapes. The differential response to the two savannah types by the termite’s species suggest varying ability to respond to environmental selection pressures. Fungus growing termite, like Odontotermes, might have to trade mound modifications due to the environmental condition against mound structure beneficial to fungus growth. Keywords Mound shapes . Mound builders . Species diversity . Population density . Landscapes . Fungus growers
Introduction Termites are generally very susceptible to water loss, especially the juveniles (Gouttefarde et al. 2017). Thus, making the maintenance of high humidity very important within their nest. This is achieved primarily in some species through mound building, which also serves to keep them away from predators (Noirot and Darlington 2000). The vulnerability of insects to weather is generally because of their small size and proportionately large surface area (Sunday et al. 2014) which has to be compensated for by exploring more finely shaded habitats (Aiki et al. 2019). One major challenge for a termite colony is minimising variations in temperature and humidity within its nest, especially in the fungus cultivating genera * I. P. Aiki [email protected] 1
Social Insects Research Group (SIRG), Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield 0028, Republic of South Africa
2
Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield 0083, Republic of South Africa
Macrotermitinae whose mounds has to maintain homoeostasis ideal for the colony and its symbionts (Aanen and Eggleton 2005; Korb and Linsenmair 2000b). Termite mounds are an integral part of savannah ecosystems and are of considerable importance for maintaining patterns an
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