Consistent effects of eastern subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) on properties of a temperate forest soil

In social insects, alerting nestmates to the presence of a pathogen should be critical for limiting its spread and initiating social mechanisms of defense. Here we show that subterranean termites use elevated vibratory alarm behavior to help prevent fatal fungal infections. The elevated alarm leads to elevated social hygiene. This requires that termites coalesce so that they can groom each other’s cuticular surfaces of contaminating conidial spores. Groups of 12 Reticulitermes flavipes workers varied in their response when immersed in conidia solutions of nine different strains of Metarhizium. Pathogen alarm displays of short 2–7-second bursts of rapid longitudinal oscillatory movement (LOM), observed over 12 min following a fungal challenge, were positively correlated with the time that workers spent aggregated together grooming each other. The frequency of these LOMs was inversely correlated with fatal fungal infections. The variation in fatalities appeared to be largely attributable to a differential response to Metarhizium brunneum and Metarhizium robertsii in the time spent in aggregations and the frequency of allogrooming. Isolated workers challenged with conidia did not display LOMs, which suggests that the alarm is a conditional social response. LOMs appear to help signal the presence of fungal pathogens whose virulence depends on the level of this emergency alert.

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Effects of Detrital Inputs and Roots on Carbon Saturation Deficit of a Temperate Forest Soil

Soil Science Society of America Journal ◽

10.2136/sssaj2013.09.0415nafsc ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 78 (S1) ◽

pp. S76-S83 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

M.M. Mayzelle ◽

M.L. Krusor ◽

K. Lajtha ◽

R.D. Bowden ◽

J. Six

Keyword(s):

Forest Soil ◽

Temperate Forest ◽

Saturation Deficit ◽

Carbon Saturation

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Acid Precipitation and Soil Sulfate Adsorption Properties in a Tropical and in a Temperate Forest Soil

Biotropica ◽

10.2307/2388169 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

D. W. Johnson ◽

D. W. Cole ◽

S. P. Gessel

Keyword(s):

Forest Soil ◽

Temperate Forest ◽

Acid Precipitation ◽

Adsorption Properties ◽

Sulfate Adsorption

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Termite Behavior: Measuring the Postanoxic Consumption Rates of Landscape Mulches by Eastern Subterranean Termites

The American Biology Teacher ◽

10.1525/abt.2013.75.1.9 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 75 (1) ◽

pp. 41-45

Author(s):

D. Parks Collins

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽

Statistical Test ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Subterranean Termites ◽

Eastern United States ◽

Different Types ◽

Consumption Rates ◽

Petri Dishes ◽

Eastern Subterranean Termite

Populations of the Eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, are widespread throughout most of the eastern United States. Subterranean termites have the ability to survive flooding conditions by lowering their metabolism. This lesson investigates the connection between the ability of termites to lower their metabolism to survive floods and their feeding behavior. Using an incubator, Petri dishes, and different types of mulch, termite consumption can be measured and compared. These results can be analyzed with a simple statistical test to look for significance.

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