Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lenticular mounds in the African savannahs can originate from ancient Macrotermes mounds

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Insectes Sociaux Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Small lenticular soil mounds are scattered in several African savannahs. At Lamto, Côte d’Ivoire, most of these lenticular mounds house nests of Odontotermes aff. pauperans which have to date been thought to have built them. However, repeated observations made in 2000 and 2015 supply several arguments in favour of another hypothesis, namely that after a nest of Macrotermes has been abandoned and eroded, it could be colonized by O. aff. pauperans and subsequently maintained, stabilized, by this latter species or possibly recolonized by another Macrotermes society.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbadie L, Menaut J-C (2006) Geology, landform and soils. In: Abbadie L, Gignoux J, Le Roux X, Lepage M (eds) Lamto. structure, functioning, and dynamics of a savanna ecosystem. Ecological studies 179. Springer SBM, New York, pp 15–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Abbadie L, Lepage M, Le Roux X (1992) Soil fauna at the forest–savannah boundary: role of the termite mounds in nutrient cycling. In: Proctor P (ed) Nature and dynamics of forest-savanna boundaries. Chapman & Hall, London, pp 473–484

    Google Scholar 

  • Abe SS, Kotegawa T, Onishi T, Watanabe Y, Wakatsuki T (2012) Soil particle accumulation in termite (Macrotermes bellicosus) mounds and the implications for soil particle dynamics in a tropical savanna Ultisol. Ecol Res 27:219–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aloni J (1975) Le sol et l’évolution morphologique des termitières géantes du Haut-Shaba. Pédologie 25:25–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Bodot P (1966) Etudes écologiques et biologiques des termites des savanes de Basse Côte d’Ivoire. PhD dissertation, Université d’Aix-Marseille

  • Bouillon A, Kidieri S (1964) Répartition des termitières de Bellicositermes bellicosus rex dans l’Ubangi, d’après les photos aériennes. Corrélations écologiques qu’elles révèlent. In: Bouillon A (ed.): Etudes sur les Termites Africains. Editions de l’Université, Léopoldville, pp 373–377

  • Collins NM (1979) The nests of Macrotermes bellicosus (Smeathman) from Mokwa, Nigeria. Insect Soc 26:240–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darlington JPEC (1984) Two types of mound built by the termite Macrotermes subhyalinus in Kenya. Insect Sci App 5:481–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Darlington JPEC (1985) Lenticular soil mounds in the Kenya highlands. Oecologia 66:116–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darlington JPEC (1997) Comparison of nest structure and caste parameters of sympatric species of Odontotermes (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) in Kenya. Insect Soc 44:393–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darlington JPEC, Zimmerman PR, Wandiga SO (1992) Populations in nests of the termites Macrotermes jeanneli in Kenya. J Trop Ecol 8:73–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Saeger H (1954) Exploration du Parc National de la Garamba. Mission H. De Saeger. 1. Introduction. Institut des Parcs Nationaux du Congo Belge, Bruxelles

  • Erens H, Mujinya BB, Mees F, Baert G, Boeckx P, Malaisse F, Van Ranst E (2015) The origin and implications of variations in soil-related properties within Macrotermes falciger mounds. Geoderma 249–250:40–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller C (1915) Observations on some South African termites. Ann Natal Mus 3:329–504

    Google Scholar 

  • Glover PE, Trump EC, Wateridge LED (1964) Termitaria and vegetation patterns on the Loita Plains of Kenya. J Ecol 52:367–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grassé PP, Noirot C (1957) La genèse et l’évolution des termitières géantes en Afrique Equatoriale Française. C R Acad Sci Paris 244:974–979

    Google Scholar 

  • Grassé PP, Noirot C (1961) Nouvelles recherches sur la systématique et l’éthologie des Termites champignonnistes du genre Bellicositermes Emerson. Insect Soc 8:311–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Josens G (1972) Etudes biologique et écologique des termites (Isoptera) de la savane de Lamto-Pakobo (Côte d’Ivoire). PhD dissertation, Université Libre de Bruxelles

  • Josens G (1977) Recherches sur la structure et le fonctionnement des nids hypogés de quatre espèces de Macrotermitinae (Termitidae) communes dans les savanes de Lamto (Côte d’Ivoire). Mém Cl Sci Acad Roy Belg 52:1–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph GS, Seymour CL, Cumming GS, Cumming DHM, Mahlangu Z (2014) Termite mounds increase functional diversity of woody plants in African savannas. Ecosystems 17:808–819

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jouquet P, Boulain N, Gignoux J, Lepage M (2004) Association between subterranean termites and grasses in a West African savanna: spatial pattern analysis shows a significant role for Odontotermes n. pauperans. App Soil Ecol 27:99–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Konaté S (1998) Structure, dynamique et rôle des buttes termitiques dans le fonctionnement d’une savane préforestière (Lamto, Côte d’Ivoire): le termite Odontotermes comme ingénieur de l’écosystème. PhD dissertation, Université de Paris 6

  • Konaté S, Le Roux X, Tessier D, Lepage M (1999) Influence of large termitaria on soil characteristics, soil water regime, and tree leaf shedding pattern in a West African savannah. Plant Soil 206:47–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korb J (2003) Thermoregulation and ventilation of termite mounds. Naturwissenschaften 90:212–219

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Le Roux X (2006) Climate. In: Abbadie L, Gignoux J, Le Roux X, Lepage M (eds) Lamto. Structure, functioning, and dynamics of a savanna ecosystem. Ecological studies 179. Springer SBM, New York, pp 25–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore JM, Picker MD (1991) Heuweltjies (earth mounds) in the Clanwilliam district, Cape Province, South Africa: 4000-year-old termite nests. Oecologia 86:424–432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomeroy DE (1976) Studies on a population of large termite mounds in Uganda. Ecol Entomol 1:49–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomeroy DE (1977) The distribution and abundance of large termite mounds in Uganda. J App Ecol 14:465–475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pullan RA (1979) Termite hills in Africa: their characteristics and evolution. Catena 6:267–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roy-Noël J (1971) Recherches sur l’écologie et l’éthologie des Isoptères de la presqu’île du Cap Vert. PhD dissertation, Université de Paris

  • Seymour CL, Milewski AV, Mills AJ, Joseph GS, Cumming GS, Cumming DHL, Mahlangu Z (2014) Do the large termite mounds of Macrotermes concentrate micronutrients in addition to macronutrients in nutrient-poor African savannas? Soil Biol Biochem 68:95–105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sileshi GW, Arshad MA, Konaté S, Nkunika POY (2010) Termite-induced heterogeneity in African savanna vegetation: mechanisms and patterns. J Veget Sci 21:923–937

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soyer J (1983) Microrelief de buttes basses sur sols inondés saisonnièrement au Sud-Shaba (Zaïre). Catena 10:253–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner JC (2000) Architecture and morphogenesis in the mound of Macrotermes michaelseni (Sjöstedt) (Isoptera: Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) in northern Namibia. Cimbebasia 16:143–175

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank our colleagues Jean Deligne and Yves Roisin and two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments that permitted to clarify and improve the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Biologie des Organismes, Ecologie végétale et biogéochimie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

    G. Josens

  2. Unité de Recherche Ecologie et Biodiversité, Université Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

    K. Dosso & S. Konaté

Authors
  1. G. Josens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. Dosso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Konaté
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Josens.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Josens, G., Dosso, K. & Konaté, S. Lenticular mounds in the African savannahs can originate from ancient Macrotermes mounds. Insect. Soc. 63, 373–379 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-016-0476-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-016-0476-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation