Articles | Volume 20, issue 19
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4029-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4029-2023
Research article
 | 
04 Oct 2023
Research article |  | 04 Oct 2023

Carbon dioxide and methane fluxes from mounds of African fungus-growing termites

Matti Räsänen, Risto Vesala, Petri Rönnholm, Laura Arppe, Petra Manninen, Markus Jylhä, Jouko Rikkinen, Petri Pellikka, and Janne Rinne

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Cited articles

Agarwal, V. B.: Temperature and relative humidity inside the mound of Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) (Isoptera: Termitidae), Proc. Anim. Sci., 89, 91–99, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03179148, 1980. 
Amara, E., Adhikari, H., Heiskanen, J., Siljander, M., Munyao, M., Omondi, P., and Pellikka, P.: Aboveground Biomass Distribution in a Multi-Use Savannah Landscape in Southeastern Kenya: Impact of Land Use and Fences, Land, 9, 381, https://doi.org/10.3390/land9100381, 2020. 
Bagine, R., Brandl, R., and Kaib, M.: Species Delimitation in Macrotermes (Isoptera: Macrotermitidae): Evidence from Epicuticular Hydrocarbons, Morphology, and Ecology, Ann. Entom. Soc. Am., 87, 498–506, 1994. 
Bignell, D. E. and Eggleton, P.: Termites in ecosystems, in Termites: Evolution, Sociality, Symbioses and Ecology, edited by: Abe, T., Bignell, D. E., and Higashi, M., Springer, 363–387, 2000. 
Boutton, T. W., Arshad, M. A., and Tieszen, L. L.: Stable isotope analysis of termite food habits in East African grasslands, Oecologia, 59, 1–6, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388065, 1983. 
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Short summary
Fungus-growing termites recycle large parts of dead plant material in African savannas and are significant sources of greenhouse gases. We measured CO2 and CH4 fluxes from their mounds and surrounding soils in open and closed habitats. The fluxes scale with mound volume. The results show that emissions from mounds of fungus-growing termites are more stable than those from other termites. The soil fluxes around the mound are affected by the termite colonies at up to 2 m distance from the mound.
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