Evaluation Des Attaques De Termites (Isoptera Brulle, 1832) Sur Quatre Essences Forestieres D’importance Economique Au Togo (Afrique De L’ouest)

Abstract

Termites are one of the most abundant invertebrates in tropical ecosystems, where they play a major ecological role in litter decomposition. Despite their important role, termites can cause considerable damage to wood structures in most tropical countries. The aims of this study was to evaluate termite attack in four economically important species in Togo including Antiaris africana Engl (Moraceae), Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir (Fabaceae), Triplochiton scleroxylon Schum (Malvaceae) (all local species) and teak or Tectona grandis Linné (Lamiaceae). For the latter species, termites were infested on 83.49% of 630 feet examined. However, the rate and type attacks differ from one plantation to another. On the studied forest species, termites were collected on about 97% of Triplochiton scleroxylon feet. For this species, at least 31% of examined feet have had their wood attacked. For the other two species, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Antiaris africana respectively about 80% and 67% of examined feet were attacked by termites. Amitermes evuncifer, Ancistrotermes guineensis and Microtermes lepidus were species of termite often harvested from trees examined. However the last two species namely A. guineensis and M. lepidus are European Scientific Journal February 2016 edition vol.12, No.9 ISSN: 1857 -7881 (Print) e -ISSN 1857 334 encountered on the bark of trees inside veneers unlike A. evuncifer harvested in the heart of the wood. Therefore, the latter species deserves special attention as likely to cause serious damage not only to these species but also other species not taken into account in this study. It is therefore necessary to consider adequate control methods against these species. Keywords

Vulnerability of African Rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus, Fabaceae) natural stands to climate change and implications for silviculture in West Africa

“…This inability to occupy all of their niche is due to the importance of other environmental constraints such as soil, vegetation, competition between plant species, wildfires, grazing, human activities, etc (Ivory and Russell, 2016;Trisurat and Eawpanichet Kalliola, 2016;Lavorel et al, 2007). P. erinaceus trees are also attacked by termites as Amitermes evuncifer, Ancistrotermes guineensis and Microtermes lepidus (Gbenyedji et al, 2016).…”

A comparison of termite assemblages from West African savannah and forest ecosystems using morphological and molecular markers

“…A . evuncifer causes considerable damage in teak plantations [59]. This widespread occurrence implies that they are generalists with low habitat requirements.…”

Attacks and damage of termites (Insecta: Isoptera) in different cocoa agroforestry systems (Nawa, Côte d’Ivoire).

“…Anani Kotoklo et al (2010b) observed that the incidence and intensity of termite attacks vary according to the species, the locality and the edaphic factors. Termite attacks can be related on nature of soil (ferralitic red soil) that would favour the installation of termite mounds, sources of plant infestations (Gbenyedji et al, 2016). The study showed that intermediate systems are the least attacked by termites, especially those close to shaded systems.…”

“…Indeed, most termites build veneers on the trunks of plants. These veneers serve as protection to attack the plant (Gbenyedji et al, 2016). The evaluation of termite attack rates showed that attacks were more common in full sun systems (61.49%), while in intermediate management systems were the least attacked.…”