The relationship between wood litter infall and relative abundance and feeding activity of subterranean termites Reticulitermes spp. in three southeastern coastal plain habitats

Abstract

We estimated the densities of termites in dead wood using a point-quarter technique in four habitats: pine plantations subject to control burning and unburned, lowland hardwood forest, and turkey oak woodland. The burned pine plantation had the highest estimated termite density, 13×10·ha unburned pine plantation and lowland hardwood had estimated densities of 2.6×10·ha and 2.2×10·ha, respectively, and the turkey oak woodland had an estimated densities of 61.9×10·ha. There were varying percentages of Reticulitermes flavipes and R. virginicus in the various habitats. There was nearly linear increase in percentage of pine blocks attacked by termites in the pine and hardwood forests and by the end of the growing season, nearly all had been channelized by termites. In the turkey oak habitat 70% of the pine blocks were channelized. Termites removed between 3% and 12% of the original mass of over one-fourth of the pine blocks during the growing season.Wood litter in fall was highest in the lowland hardwood forest: 2869 kg·ha·yr. Wood litter input in the long leaf pine plantation, 792 kg·ha·yr was nearly equivalent to the three year average wood litter in fall in a Danish oak forest.

Temperate forest termites: ecology, biogeography, and ecosystem impacts

“…consume between 0 and 0.017 Mg-wood ha −1 year −1 in U.S. forests. This wood consumption represents 10% of annual dead wood biomass inputs in some eastern deciduous forests (Harmon et al, 1986) and closely aligns with one of the few field estimates of 3-12% annual termite-mediated mass loss (Gentry & Whitford, 1982). However, given the high spatial heterogeneity of termite abundances and the unreliability of laboratory-based wood-decomposition rates (Lenz et al, 1983) in situ estimates of temperate termite wood decomposition rates remain a research priority (Table 3).…”

Changes in the Contribution of Termites to Mass Loss of Dead Wood among Three Tree Species during 23 Months in a Lowland Tropical Rainforest

“…Gentry and Whitford (1982) also reported a wide range of termite-driven mass loss in dead wood (3-20%) in Savanna. These wide ranges in these results suggest that there is an uncertainty in quantifying the contribution of termites to the mass loss of dead wood in terrestrial ecosystems.…”

“…The wood density is a representative property, indicating resistance from fungi and pathogens. Previous studies have found that termites preferentially feed on dead wood with low wood density (Gentry & Whitford, 1982;Takamura et al, 2001). Another possible explanation is the difference in chemical composition of stems among species.…”

“…When termites feed on dead wood, the mass loss of dead wood is accelerated (Stoklosa et al, 2016). Termites prefer certain tropical tree species, thereby, accelerating more rapid mass loss in these species (Gentry & Whitford, 1982). However, termite preference on major tree species of lowland tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia has rarely been investigated.…”

“…In the beginning, dead wood has certain specific traits. As termites mechanically attack dead wood with their mandibles, their feeding could be affected by dead wood traits such as density, which disturbs action of mandible (Gentry & Whitford, 1982). …”