New study by Rob Pringle finds that the termite mounds are an insurance policy against climate change
Kenyan plots show that termite mounds promote ecological health and may slow desertification.
“We all tend to think about large mammals as being the big dominant driver of what's happening in the savanna, but the more we look at the termite mounds the more they seem to be driving what's going on,” says Robert Pringle
By modeling the interactions of termites, rainfall, soil, and plants, Pringle and his colleagues conclude that the termite mounds are an insurance policy against climate change, protecting the vegetation on them from water scarcity.
Jef Huisman, a theoretical biologist at the University of Amsterdam, says the results show that “termite mounds play a key role in arid landscapes.” The work also calls into question whether land managers can forecast looming desertification based on aerial views of the landscape.
Africa's indigenous people have long recognized that the soil in termite mounds is richer than normal and good for crops.
By trapping all the insects flying and crawling on and away from mounds, tracking the offspring of insect-eating spiders, and counting geckos, Pringle, Palmer, and their colleagues found that all are bigger, more numerous, or more prolific near mounds. Furthermore, computer simulation studies showed that the regular spacing of the mounds enhances these beneficial effects by minimizing the average distance that animals have to travel to reach the nearest mound.
As the environment dries, the space between clumps should expand. And theory predicts that “if you turn down the water enough, you get a catastrophic shift to desert,” Pringle says. As a result, the presence of vegetation clumps may signal an ecosystem in danger.
