Termite flights seasonally promote nutrient pulses in the Caatinga dry forest in northeastern Brazil

Silva, Israel S.; Lucena, Emanuelly F; Moura, Flávia M.S.; Vasconcellos, Alexandre

doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.104066

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Furthermore, this type of trap allows for the estimation of the quantity of individuals falling in an area and to infer biomass and nutrient transfers (Silva et al . 2021).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This type of trap appears to be less selective in the capture of winged termites, with less risk of interference in capture rate, thus avoiding the exclusion of species according to flight time and their specific reactions to light, as occurs with light traps (Nutting & Haverty 1976;Medeiros et al 1999;Prestes 2012). Furthermore, this type of trap allows for the estimation of the quantity of individuals falling in an area and to infer biomass and nutrient transfers (Silva et al 2021).…”

Section: Termite Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies related to termite flights in dry areas are less common (Nutting & Haverty 1976; Aihetasham & Akhtar 2008; Silva et al . 2021). In Neotropical regions, studies such as these have only been carried out in areas of tropical rainforest (Rebello & Martius 1994; Martius et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, in humid environments, alates can be found throughout the year (Rebello & Martius 1994;Martius et al 1996). Studies related to termite flights in dry areas are less common (Nutting & Haverty 1976;Aihetasham & Akhtar 2008;Silva et al 2021). In Neotropical regions, studies such as these have only been carried out in areas of tropical rainforest (Rebello & Martius 1994;Martius et al 1996;Medeiros et al 1999;Bandeira et al 2001;Martius 2003;Bourguignon et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In arid and semiarid ecosystems, for example, the seasonal release of alates represents a rich source of resources for the upper trophic levels and, consequently, becomes an influencing factor on nutrient cycling (Schaefer & Whitford 1981; Silva et al . 2021). Conversely, in humid environments, alates can be found throughout the year (Rebello & Martius 1994; Martius et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Accumulated precipitation and air density are linked to termite (Blattodea) flight synchronism in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest in north‐eastern Brazil

et al. 2021

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Termite dispersal flights (Blattodea: Termitoidae) are influenced by several factors that are intrinsic and extrinsic to colonies and vary according to the environment and target species. This study aimed to evaluate the main characteristics of the dispersal flights of a termite community and the environmental variables related to these flights in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest, situated in the semiarid region of north-eastern Brazil. The alates were collected with trays placed on the ground. Sampling was carried out over a year, with weekly trap reviews. Flight peaks started in February; i.e. these events were more frequent and alates from all species were captured. The trays were checked daily for 40 days during this period. A principal coordinate analysis was performed to determine the response variables and, after that, a generalised linear model was performed to analyse the relationship between these variables and environmental variations. Alates of 37 species were captured and the community flight pattern proved to be synchronised and highly temporally concentrated, regardless of family, subfamily or even genera. The daily sampling analysis showed that 97% of species flights occurred between the 13th and 33rd days following the start of the 40 days of daily revisions. The number of flight occurrences and species composition were significantly influenced by the accumulated precipitation over 72 h and air density. The latter variable was evaluated for the first time in this type of study. The high synchronism between species may be related to the brief period in which arid and semiarid ecosystems have the correct conditions for alate flights, which is different to alate flight occurrence in tropical rainforests, where the environmental conditions usually allow termites to fly throughout the entire year.

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“…Furthermore, this type of trap allows for the estimation of the quantity of individuals falling in an area and to infer biomass and nutrient transfers (Silva et al . 2021).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Termite Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%