HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mermut, A. R. Articles by St. Arnaud, R. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Mermut, A. R. Articles by St. Arnaud, R. J. Agricola Articles by Mermut, A. R. Articles by St. Arnaud, R. J.

Micropedological Study of Termite Mounds of Three Species of Macrotermes in Kenya¹

ABSTRACT

Seven termite mounds built by three Macrotermes species (M. michaelseni, M. subhyalinus, and M. herus) at five different sites were studied micropedologically. Construction units and void patterns were considered as integral parts of mound construction covering specific termite habitats in different eco-climatic regions of Kenya. Regardless of the species of termites, it was found that the micro construction units recognized in the undisturbed samples taken from different parts of the nests were entirely dependent on the nature of the material form which the mounds were built. Building behavior of different termite species in the same environment appears to be very similar. Different construction units were found to occur in different parts of a mound. The fabric and micromorphological features established in this study consist of pellets, compound pellets, lenticular fabric, mesh fabric, lamellar fabric, organic laminae, cross-hatched arrangement of ground mass, and mammillated metavughs. The fabrics of the studied mounds were made from transported and repacked soil particles with addition of insect saliva and/or excreta.

¹ Contribution no. R340 from Saskatchewan Inst. of Pedology, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sask., S7N OWO Canada, and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya.

² Research Scientist, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Dep. of Soil Science, Saskatoon, Sask., S7N OWO; Senior Research Scientist, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya, and Professor, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Dep. of Soil Science, Saskatoon, Sask., Canada, S7N OWO.

Received for publication June 6, 1983. Accepted for publication January 12, 1984.