Do Termites Give Off Methane?
WouterTermites are small insects that live in forested regions. They feed on dead plant debris and cellulose in wood. During their digestion, they release a large amount of methane. It is estimated that termites produce between two and five percent of the methane in the atmosphere.
Termites are a very important part of the natural environment. They recycle dead plant debris into fertilizer, but they also produce large amounts of methane. Some scientists are using termites gut microbes to convert coal into methane gas. They also use the guts of termites to digest lignin, a cellulose material that gives the walls of plants strength.
Several species of termites in the world produce methane. Some of the more important species are found in tropical forests. A number of studies have shown that termites are not the major source of methane emissions. The largest source of methane is found in the ocean floor. Most of the methane in the atmosphere is produced by fossil fuels. However, termites produce more methane than cows and ruminants.
During the early 1980s, termites were thought to be a primary source of global methane emissions. In 1982, three American researchers published a paper in Science estimating that termites could produce up to 150 million tons of methane each year.
Since then, more studies have been done on termites. These include in situ measurements of CH4 oxidation in mounds. They have demonstrated that there are large differences in methanotroph activity in mounds of different species.
