Nutrient spatial variability in biogenic structures of Nasutitermes (Termitinae; Isoptera) in a gallery forest of the Colombian ‘Llanos’ |
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Authors: | Juan J Jiménez Thibaud Decaëns |
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Institution: | a Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Sols Tropicaux, IRD, 32 Av. H. Varagnat, F-93143 Bondy, France b Laboratoire d'Ecologie, UPRES-EA 1293, UFR Sciences, Université de Rouen, F-76821 Mont St Aignan Cedex, France |
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Abstract: | By definition ‘ecosystem engineers’ are those organisms capable to modify physically the environment by producing ‘biogenic’ structures (BS). Large macroinvertebrates like termites, earthworms and ants produce BS with distinguishable physico-chemical properties. We measured total Corg, and contents in the BS produced by two species of Neotropical termites (subfamily Nasutermitinae) in a gallery forest (GF) of the Eastern Plains of Colombia. We sampled from the top of the BS to the edge at proportional distances, i.e. 20-100% for the largest BS in the soil surface and 50-100% for the smallest arboricole BS. Control soil was sampled 1 m apart from the BS. Values of total Corg were high in the BS produced by Nasutitermes sp1 (epigeic mound), while a high N mineralization process was observed in the same BS and in the Nasutitermes sp2 arboreal nest. The role of these two ecosystem engineers in nutrient cycling is discussed. |
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Keywords: | Nutrient dynamics Termites Carbon Soil ecology Ecosystem engineers Gallery forest Savanna |
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