Can Termites Survive Fire?
WouterTermites are important ecological agents in many ecosystems. They play an important role in nutrient cycling and decomposition. Fire has the potential to disrupt these processes and reduce food availability. However, recent studies have found that termites are resilient to fire. They appear to be robust at several spatial scales, including site and landscape scales.
The response of species to the environment is strongly influenced by the spatial scale at which they live. Termites may be more resistant to the effects of fire at site scales than at other spatial scales. Nonetheless, further work is needed to understand the factors that regulate their distribution.
This study compared termite species richness, distribution and occurrence to fire history and landscape structure in two semi-arid mallee ecosystems. A total of 560 sites were surveyed. Each site was located within topographic variation and at least 100 m from a known fire boundary.
Across each landscape, 140 transects were surveyed. These were split into 2 m x 5 m sections. Each transect contained 20 cores. Trees were inspected for nests to a height of 2 m. Termites were surveyed for presence or absence using bait grids. Termites were also observed on dead wood.
Termite species richness was highest in the chenopod mallee. Eucalyptus trees dominate the canopy. Compared to the Triodia mallee, the chenopod has higher clay content.
Termite species were found at a greater number of sites in the chenopod than in the Triodia. Interestingly, there were no relationships between species richness and time since fire.
