Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T14:13:33.950Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mound structure of the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes gilvus in Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Tetsushi Inoue ,
Pisoot Vijarnsorn  and
Takuya Abe
Tetsushi Inoue
Affiliation:
Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Shimosakamoto, Ohtsu 520-01, Japan
Pisoot Vijarnsorn
Affiliation:
Department of Land Development, Bangkok, Thailand
Takuya Abe
Affiliation:
Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Shimosakamoto, Ohtsu 520-01, Japan
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The change of mound structure of the fungus growing termite, Macrotermes gilvus, which has no clear air passage system in the mound, was examined in relation to the mound growth in a rubber plantation of southern Thailand. The nest proper consisted of the hive with a royal chamber and nursery, and diffused chambers with fungus combs. The location of the hive became higher with the growth of the mound. Therefore, colonies with a very large mound utilize only the upper mound part and this may be due to the lack of air passage systems in this species. A colony with a very large mound is not in reality commensurately large in colony size and this may be the reason why the density of huge mounds of M. gilvus in Thailand is much higher than that of Macrotermes in Africa.

Keywords

fungus-growing termiteIsopteraMacrotermes gilvusmound developmentmound structureThailand
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 115 - 124
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

LITERATURE CITED

Abe, T. 1979. Studies on the distribution and ecological role of termites in a lowland rain forest of West Malaysia. 2. Food and feeding habits of termites in Pasoh Forest Reserve. Japanese Journal of Ecology 29:121–135.Google Scholar
Abe, T. & Darlington, J. P. E. C. 1985. Distribution and abundance of a mound-building termite, Macrotermes michaelseni, with special reference to its subterranean colonies and ant predators. Physiology and Ecology, Japan 22:59–74.Google Scholar
Abe, T. & Inoue, T. 1993. Fauna and nesting habits of termites in the peat swamp forest and rubber plantation at Narathiwat, Southern Thailand – preliminary report. Island Studies in Okinawa 11:43–54.Google Scholar
Ahmad, M. 1965. Termites (Isoptera) of Thailand. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 131:3–113.Google Scholar
Breznak, J. A. & Brune, A. 1994. Role of microorganisms in the digestion of lignocellulose by termites. Annual Review of Entomology 39:453–487.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collins, N. M. 1979. The nests of Macrotermes bellicosus (Smeathman) from Mokwa, Nigeria. Insectes Sociaux 26:240–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collins, N. M. 1981a. The role of termites in the decomposition of wood and leaf litter in Southern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. Oecologia 51:389–399.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Collins, N. M. 1981b. Populations, age structure and survivorship of colonies of Macrotermes bellicosus (Isoptera: Macrotermitinae). Journal of Animal Ecology 50:293–311.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. 1982a. The underground passages and storage pits used in foraging by a nest of termite Macrotermes michaelseni in Kajiad, Kenya. Journal of Zoology, London 198:237–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. 1982b. Population dynamics of an African fungus-growing termite. Pp. 54–58 in Breed, M. D., Michener, C. D. & Evans, H. E. (eds). The biology of social insects. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. 1984. Two types of mound built by the termite Macrotermes subhyalinus in Kenya. Insect Science and its Application 5:481–492.Google Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. 1986. Seasonality in mature nests of termite Macrotermes michaelseni in Kenya. Insectes Sociaux 33:168–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darlington, J. P. E. C. 1988. The structure of mature mounds of the termite Macrotermes herus in Kenua. Insect Science and its Application 9:339–345.Google Scholar
Grassé, P. P. 1984. Termitologia foundation des sociétés construction. Masson, Paris. 613 pp.Google Scholar
Grassé, P. P. & Noirot, C. 1959. L'évolution de la symbiose chez les Isoptères. Experientia 15:365–408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Josens, G. 1983. The soil fauna of tropical savanna III. Termites. Pp. 505–524 in Bourlière, F. (ed.). Ecosystems of the world. 13. Tropical savannas. Elsevier, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Kalshoven, L. G. E. 1956a. Observations on Macrotermes gilvus Holmgr. in Java – 3. Accumulations of finely cut vegetable matter in the nests. Insectes Sociaux 3:455–461.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kalshoven, L. G. E. 1956b. Observations on the inner structure of Macrotermes gilvus mounds in Java. Insectes Sociaux 3:269–272.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, K. E. & Wood, T. G. 1971. Termites and soils. Academic Press, London. 252 pp.Google Scholar
Lepage, M. 1974. Les termites d'une savant Sahélienne (Ferlo Septentrional, Sénégal): peuplement, populations, consommation, rôle dans l'écosystème. Unpublished DSc Thesis, Dijon University.Google Scholar
Lüscher, M. 1961. Air-conditioned termite nests. Scientific American 205:138–145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malaisse, F. 1978. High termitaria. Pp. 1279–1300 in Werger, M. J. A. (ed.). Biogeography and ecology of southern Africa. Junk, The Hague.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matsumoto, T. 1976. The role of termites in an equatorial rain forest ecosystem of West Malaysia. I. Population density, biomass, carbon, nitrogen and calorific content and respiration rate. Oecologia 22:153–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matsumoto, T. & Abe, T. 1979. The role of termites in an equatorial rain forest ecosystem of West Malaysia. II. Leaf litter consumption on the forest floor. Oecologia 38:261–274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pomeroy, D. E. 1976. Studies on a population of large termite mounds in Uganda. Ecological Entomology 1:49–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pomeroy, D. E. 1977. The distribution and abundance of large termite mounds in Uganda. Journal of Applied Ecology 14:465–475.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roonwal, M. L. 1970. Termites of the Oriental region. Pp. 315–391 in Krishna, K. & Weesner, F. M. (eds). Biology of termites. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Suzuki, K. & Niyomdham, C. 1992. Phytosociological studies on tropical peat swamps. 1. Classification of vegetation at Narathiwat, Thailand. Tropics 2:49–65.Google Scholar
Van Der Werff, P. A. 1981. Two mound types of Macrotermes near Kajiado (Kenya): intraspecific variation or interspecific divergence? Pp. 231–248 in Howse, P. E. & Clement, J. L. (eds). Biosystematics of social insects. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Vogel, S. & Bretz, W. L. 1972. Interfacial organisms: passive ventilation in the velocity gradients near surfaces. Science 175:210–211.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Watanabe, H., Takeda, H. & Ruaysoongreen, S. 1984. Termites of northeastern Thailand with special reference to changes in species composition due to shifting cultivation. Memoirs of the College of Agricuture, Kyoto University 125:45–57.Google Scholar
Weir, J. S. 1973. Air flow, evaporation and mineral accumulation in mounds of Macrotermes subhyalinus (Rambur). Journal of Animal Ecology 42:509–520.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood, T. G. 1976. The role of termites (Isoptera) in decomposition processes. Pp. 145–168 in Anderson, J. M. & Macfadyen, A. (eds). The role of terrestrial and aquatic organisms in decomposition processes. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.Google Scholar
Wood, T. G. & Sands, W. A. 1978. The role of termites in ecosystems. Pp. 245–292 in Brian, M. V. (ed.). Production ecology of ants and termites. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar