TERMITES: Engineers of Nature
Image from: http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/pchew_brisbane/images/PWC_7747.jpg
Did you know that termites can
contribute positively to nature?
Termites are not the most likeable
creatures of nature. The common perception for termites is
that they are considered as pests and destroyers. Every year they cause billions in structural damage and another billion
for getting rid of them. For these insects, wood is their
favorite and every time seeing these woods, this type of insects could never
resist. Aside from that, we can observe that
almost all household is made up of wood (especially in the native towns), therefore termites are abundant in this type of region. This type of region is mostly affected by the damage caused by
these pests. Why? There will be more properties being broken; there will be too much
loss and especially frustrations. Indeed, termites
bring burden to most people.
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| Image by: |
On the other hand, there are some people who believe that termites
contribute to the biodiversity of the ecosystem. According to Eggleton (2003), head of research group termite, termites
are "social insects" (para.1) with organic diet and are also major
contributors of decomposition processes in tropical regions. In fact termites, aside from being a major contributor of decomposition,
can also fertile the soil and can provide habitat for plants and animals. They can also increase the crop yield, be the source of food and
provide habitat for other living things. Although these
insects have marked violently in our households, they still contribute to
nature.
Termites are major decomposers. They also reduce
litters for some purposes- one is to provide habitat for other living things
which will be discussed later on. Termites
are common in tropical and subtropical regions, which is why they are very much
popular in Africa. There's a fact Evans (2011) said that
"ants and termites can replace earthworms as soil engineer" (para.4)
in drier and hotter habitats because the earthworms are "limited in their
distribution to wetter and cooler regions" (para.4). We normally see termites feeding up with those woods (actually
they are feeding up with the dead woods) and seeing them like that, we can not
avoid asking the question "why". Well one reason is
definitely because they love wood litters, but what we do know is that they are
actually in the process of decomposing. In this decomposition
process, they are producing nutrients, in particular nitrogen that will provide
what the plants need and the nutrients that the soil will be fertile.
As discussed in the second paragraph, the termites fertilize the soil. Salinger (2012) said that in Africa, termites are used as a natural
fertilizer for their dry tropical soils. According to him,
African farmers found clever ways to incorporate into their farming termites
systems. He also said that termites can increase
the amount of nitrogen in soils as well as provide nutrients for plants. He added that termites improve soil
fertility or abundance in dry lands by allowing plants to have greater access
to water. Termites reduce
porosity in the soil so that water can be absorbed by the roots. Mommer (2003) said that in Australia, termites are also responsible for
ridding of up to 100% of herbaceous matter and take part in changing soil
structure increasing effects of erosion. According to Park (
as cited in Mommer ), termite
colonies also act as intercessors in a very dry environment by enabling access
to other decomposers nature residues or litters for decay. Termites play an important role in soil formation
and nutrient recycling because their diet consists of organic material
appropriate for the soil. There is a fact that
the explicit landscapes of Africa are made of termite mounds (Soil Diversity,
nd). These termite mounds
are also used as soil fertilizer especially in Zambia, a place in South Africa. Since these creatures fertile soil, they increase
the crop yield as well.
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| Farmers using termites as soil treatment. Image from:
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/innovation-of-the-week-using-ants-and-termites-to-increase-crop-yields/
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Termites also increase the crop yield. Since they are agents
for nitrogen balance, they increase the nitrogen needed for plants. In 2011, a research was conducted in Australia by Theodore Evans and his
colleagues about ants and termites increasing crop yield in a dry climate. The result was that termites raise crop yield by increasing water
infiltration into the soil. Another discovery is that these
creatures can be a new tool for sustainability of crop production because the
result says that it can be applicable to climate adaptation. This case is very evident in Africa because articles says that African
soils that were treated with termites increased by thirty-six percent of wheat
production, major. The said article explains how these
particular farmers termites use to improve their harvest:Farmers used to place
wood into their soil to attract the termites while other local farmers will use
manure. This will let the termites come to
treat their soil by effectively reducing waste while improving crop yield. The use of termites to improve crop production is expertly practiced in
Africa. (Salinger) When the soil is
fertile and the crop yield increases, then there is production of food.
As mentioned above, termites increase the yield of crops resulting in abundant
production of wheat. Many major production of wheat in
different places had been reported to increase into greater percents. Aside from an ample quantity of production in vegetation, termites are
food itself. According to Salinger, there are more
than 600 different species of termites found in arid regions of Africa and
Australia; therefore these termites are a popular
food available in the said regions. Bodenheimer (as cited
in the article "Insects as Food for Humans", nd ) said that the large
queen castes of termites are the most desirable kind of food. One of Bodenheimer's colleagues said that termites have higher protein
than beef, but its protein content is the same with that of the fish. He also said that these termites are usually sold in the markets of
(Zaire) Democratic Republic of the Congo, fried and eaten by hand. The termites are not only food for other living creatures, but also a
provider of habitat for plants and other animals of either its size or bigger
than them.
Termites may be small, but in case you do not know, these tiny insects
(termites) provide nesting sites for other animals even the animals that used
them as preys. A Lace Monitor in Australia lays her
eggs inside one of these termite mounds, once this Lace Monitor has laid her
eggs, the termites cover up the nest and keep the eggs safe (para.5). ("Australian Wildlife Facts", nd) If you remember that termites build mounds and the local farmers used it
as a natural fertilizer, well the mounds are not only fertilizers, but also used
as homes and observation points for animals. Larger termite mounds
provide habitat for smaller animals and woody shrubs with root systems that cannot
withstand flooding for several weeks. This case is found
especially on plains in Africa that are most often engulfed by a rainy season . ("Termite",
nd) Variety of animals such as snakes, lizards, scorpions etc use these piled
dirt or small hill (especially the abandoned mounds) as their homes. By providing a different habitat for other living creatures, the
termites added the biodiversity of ecosystems. After all, termites contributed a lot to nature, from human beings, to
its fellow animals, to plants, to the soil and to earth alone.
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| Lace Monitor laying her eggs in termite mound.Image from: http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1966665,1966778 |
Some things are different from what we normally view. The termites we thought to be just pests and have nothing to do, but to
annoy us turned out to be useful at all. They can replace
earthworms to be our major decomposers in fertilizing the earth's soil . People can use the termite mounds to be a natural fertilizer instead of
buying a commercial fertilizer. It will give an idea for saving a lot of money
to most farmers who spend a lot on commercial fertilizers. Termites can also be food for some who tend to have a crucial means of
surviving. Not only that they are food, but also
home builders for other living things. Though they are
little, they can always maintain the balance of nature. Termites are indeed
part of the biomass for an environmental equilibrium. Because termites can easily adapt itself in an arid environment, they
are now considered to be demanded in tropical regions for a healthier habitat.
It is easy to dislike termites. They have the reputation of destruction. Woods are vanishing. Homes are slowly breaking down. Properties are damaged. People are getting paranoid of getting rid of these
tiny, slightly white, soft-bodied insects. In
contrary to these, recent studies and discoveries have begun to clear the
misconception of the termite. Termites
are the most neglected creation on earth. Even
if that's the case, at least some people believe that termites have their other
side. From all of the above
discussion, it is truly evident that termites do have contributions to nature. Little by little it is seen that in the end there
is symbiosis. Hard to discover, but
it's worth it. Hence it's true that
termites can help nature.
Again, things are often not what they appear to be.
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| Cheetahs on top of a termite mound. These predators are using the mound as their observation point. Image from: |
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| Termite mound making up the overwhelming landscape of Africa. Image from: pixabay.com |
Reference List:
Australian Wildlife Facts -
Goanna (monitor lizard). (nd). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from
Bodenheimer, F. et.al. (ND). Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Insects as Food. Retrieved December
Eggleton, P. (2003, January 31)
.Termite diversity and its role in tropical ecosystems.Retrieved
Evans, T. et.al. (2011). Ants and
termites increase crop yield in a dry climate. Retrieved
Mommer, B. (Ed.). (2003, April).
References. Retrieved November 23, 2014, from
Increase crop yields. Retrieved November 25,
2014,
from
termites-to-increase
crop yields /
http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/library/maps/Africa_Atlas/download/41.pdf
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