Sustainable Use of Macrotermes spp. to Improve Traditional Poultry Farming through an Efficient Trapping System in Burkina Faso

This study aimed to promote the use of termites as feed in traditional poultry farming by developing sustainable and inexpensive termite trapping techniques. Various tests were carried out in Burkina Faso to improve the traditional technique of trapping termites of the genus Macrotermes using a reversed container filled with organic matters. We studied the effect of containers’ types, substrates, habitats, harvesting times, duration of trap deposition, and season on the quantity of termites trapped. Calabashes and terra cotta pots trapped more termites than iron boxes, but calabashes were quickly destroyed by termites. The quantity of termites harvested increased proportionally with the volume of the pot and was higher in a cultivated habitat than in a forest, despite the higher number of termite mounds in the forest. The quantity of termites harvested was lowest in the cold-dry season and highest during the rainy season, however, sizeable amounts of termites were collected throughout the year. Among six substrates and mixtures of substrates tested, maize cobs trapped the highest number of termites and cow dung the lowest. The best time of harvest varied among seasons and, if substrates are abundant, it is more efficient to empty the containers on a daily basis.

Origin and Dynamics of Termite Mound Soils in Southern India

Aims: In Southern India, termite above-ground nests can have the shape of cathedral (CAT) or lenticular (LENT) mounds. Although CATare built by the fungus-growing species Odontotermes obesus, the origin and evolution of LENT remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of to study was to estimate the origin and dynamics of LENT from their specific physical and chemical properties. Study Site: This study was carried out in the Bandipur Tiger reserve (dry deciduous forest), Karnataka, Southern India. Methodology: All the soil samples were collected in a Fluvisol in the Mule Hole experimental watershed.Only large size mounds between 1.5 - 1.8m high were considered in this study. Soil samples were collected from the outer wall of CATnest and from the soil surface layer (0-5 cm deep) and surrounding soil. Particle-size distribution and dispersion were obtained by process of sedimentation. All the statistical analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) were calculated using R studio and R version 3.2.1. Results: Using elemental physical and chemical properties, this study showed a gradient of soil properties from the soil sampled between 50-100 cm depth to CAT, LENT and the surrounding topsoil (CTRL, Fluvisol), suggesting that: (i) CAT can be considered patches in the landscapes with specific physical and chemical properties in comparison with CTRL and LENT; (ii) LENT mounds can result from the progressive modification of CTRL (autogenic origin of LENT) and their degradation leads to a progressive recovery of CTRL properties or (iii) they originate from the colonization of abandoned CAT by other termite species (exogenic origin of LENT). Conclusion: This study confirms the complexity of CAT and LENT fates and the need for long-term datasets to determine the origin and evolution of termite mounds.

Influence of leachates on geotehnical and geochemical properties of termite mound soils

This study investigated the influence of leachate prepared from Telfairia occidentalis on the geotechnical and geochemical properties of termite mound soil obtained from the premises of the federal university of agriculture, Abeokuta, south-western Nigeria. The termite mound soil samples were collected from three different locations and each sample collected was contaminated by mixing with leachates in percentage increments of 0% 10%, 15% and 20% of dry weight of the air-dried soil. The soil samples were subjected to Atterberg limits and hydraulic conductivity tests for geotechnical observation and X-ray fluorescence tests for geochemical tests. The range of values for the geotechnical analyses were obtained as; plastic limit (9.1% – 14.2%), liquid limit (28.6 % – 61%), plasticity index ((18.2% – 49.5%) and hydraulic conductivity (1.85 – 4.1 x 10-8) cm/sec) with a resultant reduction in the plastic limit, liquid limit and plasticity index values but an increase in the hydraulic conductivity of the samples as the leachate concentration increased. The results from X-ray fluorescence analyses after 20% leachate contamination showed that the major elemental chemical composition for the three samples were comprised of SiO2 (56.25 – 56.5%), Al2O3 (28.42 – 28.50%), Fe2O3 (4.46 – 6.5%), TiO2 (1.08 – 1.23%), CaO (1.45 – 1.60%), P2O5 (0 – 0.04%), K2O (0.9 – 6.1%) and MnO (0.02 – 4.7%). There was a marginal alteration of the indices with the values inferring the presence of a minimum composition of feldspar and a major composition of quartz-rich minerals and thus lending more credence to the presence of silicates as shown from the X-ray fluorescence results. It also infers that the termite mounds are predominantly made from sand materials. The termite soil samples obtained from the aforementioned locations may not be suitable for engineering works unless stabilization procedure is adopted.

Local Knowledge of Utilisation and Threats Patterns of Termites around Pendjari Biosphere Reserve, West – Africa

Background: Termites are social insects filling many ecological functions and ecosystem services in tropical ecosystems, and are also used differently for human well-being in several parts of the world. Documenting their use knowledge and associated threats are fundamental for their sustainability. Thus, this study aimed at analysing use knowledge patterns and threat factors of termites within the local communities around Pendjari biosphere reserve (PBR). Methods: Semi-structured questionnaire was administrated to 151 informants to collect socio-demographic data, use-types and use-categories of termites and their threat factor levels. Fidelity indexes, informant diversity and equitability indexes were computed and compared regarding socio-demographic traits by using a generalized linear models. A pairwise ranking of threat factors followed by series of ordinal logistic regression were performed to assess how informants’ socio – demographic traits do influence the perceived effect of threats on termite species. The statistical analyses were done by using R programming language in Rstudio. Results: Twenty five use-types of termites and termite mounds were recorded. Ethnicity and gender have significant (P-value < 0.05) influence on the use knowledge pattern of termites, with Gourmantche and Berba the most knowledgeable ethnics of termite and termite mound uses, while women are more knowledgeable than men. Ethnicity and age category have significant (P-value < 0.05) influence on perceived threats of agricultural activities and bush fire, while the reported global use values and age category have significant (P-value < 0.05) influence on the perceived threat of climate change on termites. Old informants are likely to perceive the influence of bushfire, agricultural activities and climate change threats than adult and young informants. Berbas are likely to perceive the influence of agricultural activities and bushfire threats than Gourmantche, Waama and other ethnics. Conclusion: The findings were therefore supported by gender, age and dynamic of knowledge hypothesis, with gender and ethnicity, the two factors that have significant influence on the uses’ diversity and use knowledge pattern of termite and termite mounds. Thus, the sustainable management of termites will be achieved by sensitizing indigenous communities to adopt sustainable agricultural practices associated with the creation of alternative activities to reduce pressure on termites.

The Potential of Termite Mound Spreading for Soil Fertility Management under Low Input Subsistence Agriculture

Termites can play a localized prominent role in soil nutrient availability and cycling because mound materials are often enriched in nutrients relative to surrounding soil. Mound materials may thus prove to be useful amendments, though evidently mound spatial arrangement needs to be considered as well. Furthermore, it is not known if gradients of soil properties exist from termite mound to interspace sites. Studying both aspects would be required to decide whether spreading of mounds or spatially differentiated management of surrounding crop to accommodate soil fertility gradients would be valid nutrient-management strategies. Mound abundance and mass were estimated at 9 and 4 mounds ha−1, representing 38.9 and 6.3 t ha−1 on Nitisols and Vertisols, respectively. Soil physical and chemical properties were measured on samples collected from internal and external parts of mounds and adjacent soils at 0.5, 1 and 10 m away from mounds. In general, termite mounds were enriched in plant nutrients and SOC on Vertisols but not on Nitisols. Termite mounds constituted only 0.3 to 1.3% of the 0–15 cm SOM stock on a per ha basis but nevertheless the immediate vicinity of termite mounds was a relative fertile hotspot. Hence, under the studied condition, we suggest spatial arrangement of crop around termite mounds according to soil fertility gradient and spatially differentiated nutrient management strategies. Our result suggests recommendation of termite mound spreading for soil nutrient amendment has to consider plant nutrient stock in termite mounds on per ha basis besides their nutrient enrichment. Interesting topics for future investigation would be growth experiment for different crops with mound materials treatment. It would also be interesting to study the effect mound building termite on soil properties under different soil conditions, slope class and land use.

Fine-scale ecological and anthropogenic variables predict the habitat use and detectability of sloth bears in the Churia habitat of east Nepal

Once widespread throughout the tropical forests of the Indian Subcontinent, the sloth bears have suffered a rapid range collapse and local extirpations in the recent decades. A significant portion of their current distribution range is situated outside of the protected areas (PAs). These unprotected sloth bear populations are under tremendous human pressures, but little is known about the patterns and determinants of their occurrence in most of these regions. The situation is more prevalent in Nepal where virtually no systematic information is available for sloth bears living outside of the PAs. We undertook a sign survey-based single-season occupancy study intending to overcome this information gap for the sloth bear populations residing in the Trijuga forest of southeast Nepal. Sloth bear sign detection/non-detection data and field-based covariates data were collected at the 74 randomly chosen 4-km2 grid cells using a varying number of 400m long transects in each grid cell. From our results, the model-averaged estimate of site use probability (ψ ± SE) was estimated to be 0.432 ± 0.039, which is a 13% increase from the naïve estimate (0.297) not accounting for imperfect detections of sloth bear signs. The presence of termite mounds and the distance to the nearest water source were the most important variables affecting the habitat use probability of sloth bears. The average site-level detectability (p ± SE) of sloth bear signs was estimated to be 0.195 ± 0.003 and was significantly determined by the index of human disturbances. We recommend considering the importance of fine-scale ecological and anthropogenic factors in predicting the sloth bear-habitat relationships across their range in the Churia habitat of Nepal.

Effect of Fungus-Growing Termite on Soil CO2 Emission at Termitaria Scale in Dry Evergreen Forest, Thailand

Termites are one of the major contributors to high spatial variability in soil respiration. Although epigeal termite mounds are considered as a point of high CO2 effluxes, the patterns of mound CO2 effluxes are different, especially the mound of fungus-growing termites in a tropical forest. This study quantified the effects of a fungus-growing termite (Macrotermes carbonarius) associated with soil CO2 emission by considering their nesting pattern in dry evergreen forest, Thailand. A total of six mounds of M. carbonarius were measured for CO2 efflux rates on their mounds and surrounding soils in dry and wet seasons. Also, measurement points were investigated for the active underground passages at the top 10% of among efflux rates. The mean rate of CO2 emission from termitaria of M. carbonarius was 7.66 µmol CO2/m2/s, consisting of 2.94 and 9.11 µmol CO2/m2/s from their above mound and underground passages (the rate reached up to 50.00 µmol CO2/m2/s), respectively. While the CO2 emission rate from the surrounding soil alone was 6.86 µmol CO2/m2/s. The results showed that the termitaria of M. carbonarius contributed 8.4% to soil respiration at the termitaria scale. The study suggests that fungus-growing termites cause a local and strong variation in soil respiration through underground passages radiating out from the mounds in dry evergreen forest.

Biomimetics: An Approach to Enhance Sustainability - An Overview

Biomimicry is the study of natural structures, mechanisms and ecosystems to create more ecologically sustainable designs. It plays a vital role in searching for new tools and techniques to solve human problems by adopting natural phenomena. Many experts now view nature through biomimicry for motivation with its instinctive ability for sustainability and proven flexibility to interruption. Biomimetics is not a recent trend; the idea of looking into nature for inspiration is in practice for a long time. Human innovations have borrowed from nature throughout history. Essential elements of biomimicry are ethos, emulate and reconnect. Philosophies of biomimicry emphasise nature’s features, thereby implying that humans have much to learn from nature with evolutionary knowledge. Biomimicry is a modelling tool; the design process is usually divided into two categories; biology to design and challenge to biology. Research folk imitate natural phenomena in three levels viz., form, process, and ecosystem level. Nowadays, biomimicry is used in almost every field, from architecture to computer science. Biomimicry can help with structural quality, water efficiency, zero-waste systems, the thermal atmosphere and energy supply. Fluid-drag-reduction swimsuits inspired by the structure of shark skin, velcro fasteners inspired by burrs, aeroplane shapes inspired by the appearance of birds and stable building systems inspired by termite mounds, honeycombs, and other biomimetic experiments are only a few examples.

Dynamics of the Reconstruction of Termite Mounts of the Genus Cubitermes in the Bondoe Savannah Forest, Central African Republic

The use of termite mounds as an alternative to chemical fertilizers has grown in tropical developing countries. Termite mounds also play an important role in ecology and these studies were conducted on dynamic of the reconstruction of termite mounds of the genus Cubitermes in the Bondoé savannah from Central African Republic (CAF). The focus on this particular group may be due to their abundance and conspicuous mounds, compared with the diffuse belowground nests inhabited by soldier less soil-feeding termites. The hypothesis of this work was that the termite mounds of Cubitermes (Cubitermes sankurensis and Cubitermes ugandensis) could be reconstructed after removal of hats, trunks at ground level or when termite mounds are dug up 10 cm below the ground. Five (5) experiments were set up to follow the dynamics of the reconstruction of termite mounds during the dry and rainy seasons. The results show that termite mounds with hats removed in one operation rebuild better the following year (25-30% in the rainy season, 50-60% in the dry season). When the removal was done at ground level, an average of 22.5% reconstruction was recorded in the rainy season and 25-30% reconstruction observed in the dry season after one year. Termite mounds dug 10 cm below the ground did not perform better. The removal of hats during the dry season is an option for the rational management of Cubitermes termite mounds in agriculture in CAR.