Abstract
Termite mounds are abundant components of Tummalapalle area of uranium mineralization of Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The systematic research has been carried out on the application of termite mound sampling to mineral exploration in this region. The distribution of chemical elements Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr, Li, Rb, Sr, Ba, and U were studied both in termite soils and adjacent surface soils. Uranium accumulations were noticed in seven termite mounds ranging from 10 to 36 ppm. A biogeochemical parameter called “Biological Absorption Coefficient” of the termite mounds indicated the termite affected soils contained huge amounts of chemical elements than the adjacent soils.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abbadie, L., & Lepage, M. (1989). The role of subterranean fungus comb chambers (Isoptera, Macrotermitinae) in soil nitrogen cycling in a preforest savanna (Cote d Ivoire). Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 21, 1067–1071.
Ackermana, I. L., Teixeirab, W. G., Rihac, S. J., Lehmanna, J., & Fernandesa, E. C. M. (2007). The impact of mound-building termites on surface soil properties in a secondary forest of Central Amazonia. Applied Soil Ecology, 37, 267–276.
Anderson, A. N., & Jacklyn, P. (1993). Termites of the top end (p. 31). Australia: CSIRO.
Belsky, A. J., Mwonga, S. M., Amundson, R. G., Duxbury, J. M., & Ali, A. R. (1983). Comparative effects of isolated trees on their under canopy environments in high-and low-rainfall savannas. J. Al. Ecology, 30, 143–155.
Bernier, M. A., Milner, M. W., & Myles, T. G. (1999). Mineralogical and geochemical analysis of cathedral termitaria applied to lode gold exploration in the Roandji alluvial gold fields, Bandas Greenstone Belt, Central African Republic. In 19th international geochemical exploration symposium proceedings, poster abstract, Vancouver.
Black, H. I. J., & Okwakol, M. J. N. (1997). Agricultural intensification, soil biodiversity and agroecosystem function in the tropics: The role of termites. Appl. Soil Ecology, 6, 37–53.
Bouillon, A. (1970). Termites of Ethiopian region. In K. Krishna & F. M. Weesner (Eds.), Biology of termites 2 (pp. 153–280) New York: Academic.
Brooks, R. R. (1983). Biological methods of prospecting for minerals. New York: Wiley.
Brussaard, L., & Juma, N.G. (1996). Organisms and humus in soils. In A. Piccolo (Ed.), Humic substances in terrestrial ecosystems (pp. 329–359). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Burges, A., & Raw, R. (1967). Soil biology. New York: Academic.
Cowan, J. A., Humphreys, G. S., Mitchell, P. B., & Murphy, C. L. (1985). An assessment of pedoturbation by two species of mound building ants. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 22, 95–107.
Dangerfield, J. M., McCarthy, T. S., & Flerry, W. N. (1998). The mound building termite Macrotermes michaelseni as an ecosystem engineer. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 14, 507–520.
d’Orey, F. L. C. (1975). Contribution of termite mounds to locating hidden copper deposits. Inst. Min. Metall. Bulletin, 84 B, 150–151.
Dunn, C. (2007). Biogeochemistry in mineral exploration. Handbook of Exploration and Environmental Chemistry, 9. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Dwivedy, K. K. (1985). Economic aspects of the Cuddapah basin with special reference to uranium—An overview. Seminar on Cuddapah Basin, Geological Society of India, Annual convention. Tirupati 1995, p. 193.
Ekundayo, E. O., & Aghatise, V. O. (1997). Soil properties of termite mounds under different land use types in typic Paleuduet of Midwestern Nigeria. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 45(1), 1–7.
Freyssinet, P., Roquin, C., Muller, J. C., Paquest, H., & Tardy, Y. (1990). Geochemistry and mineralogy of soils covering laterites and their use for gold exploration. In Y. Noack, & D. Nahon (Eds.), Geochemistry of the Earth’s surface and of mineral formation, 2nd International Symposium, Aixen Provence, France. Chemical Geology (Vol. 84, pp. 58–60).
Genise, J. F. (1997). A fossil termite nest from the Marpiatom stage (late Pliocene) of Argentina; Paleoclimatic indicator. Paleogeo. Paleoclim. Paleoecology, 136, 139–144.
Glazovskaya, N. F. (1984). Geochemical features of termitaria. Institute of Soil Science and Photosynthesis, Academy Sciences, USSR, Moscow Pochvovedenie-Cisti, 5, 19–28 (in Russian with English abstract).
Gleeson, C. F., & Poulin, R. (1989). Gold exploration in Niger using soils and termitaria. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 31, 253–283.
Gopalakrishnan, R. (1993). Exploration for gold using termitaria. Current Science, 65, 168–169.
Hesse, P. R. (1955). Physical and chemical study of the soils of the termite mounds in East Africa. Journal of Ecology, 43, 449–461.
Holt, J. A. (1998). Microbial activity in the mounds of some Australian termites. Appl. Soil Ecology, 9, 187–191.
Insam, H. (1996). Microorganisms and humus in soils. In A. Piccolo (Ed.), Humic substances in terrestrial ecosystems (pp. 265–292). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Johnson, D. L., Domier, J. E. J., & Johnson, D. N. (2005). Reflections on the nature of soil and its biomantle. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 95, 11–31.
Jungerius, P. D., vand den Ancker, J. A. M., & Mucher, H. J. (1999). The contribution of termites to microgranular structure of soils on the Uasin Gishu Plateau, Kenya. Catena, 34, 349–363.
Kovalevskii, A. L. (1969). Some observations in biogeochemical parameters (in Russian). Trudy. Buryat. Inst. Estest. Venn. Nauk, 2, 195–214.
Le Roux, J. P., & Hambleton-Jones, B. B. (1991). The analysis of termite hills to locate uranium mineralization in the Karoo Basin of South Africa. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 41, 341–347.
Lee, K. E. (1983). Soil animals and pedological processes. In soils: An Australian view point (pp. 629–644). London: CSIRO, Melbourne/Academic.
Lee, K. E., & Wood, T. G. (1971). Termites and soils (p. 251). London: Academic.
Levick, S. R., Asner, G. P., Chadwick, O. A., Khomo, L. M., Rogers, K. H., Hartshorn, A. S., et al. (2010). Regional insight into savanna hydrogeomorphology from termite mounds. Nature Communications, 6, 1. doi:10.1038/ncomms1066.
Lobry de Bruyn, L. A., & Conacher, A. J. (1990). The role of termites and ants in soil modification: A review. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 28, 55–93.
Lobry de Bruyn, L. A., & Conacher, A. J. (1995). Soil modification by termites in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 33, 179–193.
Maduakor, H. O., Okere, A. N., & Onyeanuforo, C. C. (1995). Termite mounds in relation to surroundings soil in the forest derived savanna zones of southern Nigeria. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 20, 157–162.
Mahaney, W. C., Hancock, R. G. V., Aufreiter, S., & Huffman, M. A. (1996). Geochemistry and clay mineralogy of termite mound soil and the role of geophagy in chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains, Tanzania. Primate, 37, 121–134.
Mahaney, W. C., Ziin, J., Milner, M. W., Sanmugadas, K., Hancock, R. G. V., Aufreitter, S., et al. (1999). Chemistry, mineralogy and microbiology of termite mound soil eaten by the chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains, Western Tanzania. Journal of tropical Ecology, 15, 565–588.
Mando, A. (1997). The role of termites and mulch in the rehabilitation of crusted Sahelian soils, tropical resource management papers N016 (p. 101). Wageningen: Wageningen Agricultural University.
Mando, A., & Miedema, R. C. (1997). Termite-induced change in soil structure after mulching degraded (crusted) soil in the Sahel. Al. Soil. Ecology, 6, 241–249.
McComie, L. D. (1981). An ecological study of Macrotermes carbonarius (Hagen) (Insecta, Termitidae, Macrotermitinae). Unpublished M.Sc., Thesis, University Sains, Malaysia.
McComie, L. D., & Dhanarajan, G. (1993). The physical and chemical composition of mounds of Macrotermes carbonarius (Hagen) (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) in Penang, Malaysia. Soil Science, 44, 427–433.
Mermut, A. R., Arshad, M. A., & Arnaud, R. J. (1984). Micropedological study of termite mounds of three species of Macrotermes in Kenya. Soil Science Society of America, 48, 613–620.
Nagaraju, A., Prasad, K. S. S., & Prasad, E. A. V. (1998). Termite mound as a biogeochemical tool for mineral exploration; a case study from a part of Nellore mica schist belt, Andhra Pradesh, India. Fre. Environmental Bulletin, 7, 593–609.
Nye, P.H. (1955). Some soil forming processes in the humid tropics. IV. The action of the soil fauna. Journal of Soil Science, 6, 73–83.
Park, H. C., Majer, J. D., & Hobbs, R. J. (1994). Contribution of Western Australian wheatbelt termite, Drepanotermes tamminensis (Hill), to the soil nutrient budget. Ecological Research, 9, 351–356.
Pomeroy, D. E., (1976). Some effects of mound building termites on soils in Uganda. Journal of Soil Science, 27, 377–394.
Pomeroy, D. E. (1978). The abundance of large termite mounds in Uganda in relation to their environment. Journal of Applied Ecology, 15, 51–63.
Pomeroy, D. E. (1983). Some effects of mound building termite soil of a semiarid area of Kenya. Journal of Soil Science, 34, 555–570.
Prasad, E. A. V., & Vijayasaradhi, D. (1984). Termite mound in geochemical prospecting. Current Science, 53, 649–651.
Prasad, E. A. V., & Vijayasaradhi, D. (1985). Biogeochemistry of chromium and vanadium from mineralised zones of Kondapalli and Putrela, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh. Journal of the Geological Society of India, 26, 133–136.
Prasad, E.A.V., & Vijayasaradhi, D. (1986). Chromium and vanadium in plant–soil–termite soil association. Geobios, 13, 134–136.
Prasad, E. A. V., Jayarama Gupta, M., & Dunn, C. E. (1987). Significance of termite mounds in gold exploration. Current Science, 56, 1219–1222.
Raghu, V., & Prasad, E. A. V. (1996). Termite mound as a biogeochemical tool for mineral exploration: An example from the Mangampeta barite mining area, Cuddapah district, Andhra Pradesh. Journal of the Geological Society of India, 48, 683–687.
Rogers, L.E. (1972). The ecological effects of western harvester ant (Pagonomyrmex occidentalis) in the shortgrass plain ecosystem. USA/BP Grassland Biome. Tech. Report No. 206.
Roquin, C., Freyssinet, P., Novikoff, A., & Tardy, Y. (1991). Geochemistry of termitaria and soils covering ferricrete: Application to gold exploration in Africa. In Eurolat’91. Technical University: Berlin.
Rose, A. W., Hawkes, M. E., & Webb, J. S. (1979). Geochemistry in mineral exploration (2nd ed., p. 657). London: Academic.
Roy, M., Dhana Raju, R., Vasudeva Rao, M., & Vasudeva Rao, S. G. (1990). Stromatolitic uraniferous dolostone of the Vempalle formation, Cuddapah supergroup, Andhra Pradesh, India: Nature and bearing of stromatolites on uranium mineralisation. Exploration and Research for Atomic Minerals, 3, 103–113.
Sankaranna, G., & Prasad, E. A. V. (2000). Biogeochemical survey of termite mounds and their vegetal cover: A case study from Agnigundala base metal province in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Journal of the Geological Society of India, 56, 321–330.
Sen, S. N., & Narasimha Rao, C. H. (1967). Igneous activity in Cuddapah basin and adjacent areas and suggestions on the paleogeography of the basin. Proc. Symp. on upper Mantle Project, Hyderabad, G.R.B and N.G.R.I. India, 8, 216–285.
Soyer, J. (1983). Microrelief de buttes sur sols inodes munierement au sud Shaba Zaire. Catena, 10, 253–265.
Suryaprakash Rao, K., & Raju, S.V. (1984). Geochemical analysis of termite mounds as a prospecting tool for tin deposits in Bastar M.P.—A preliminary study. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences, 93, 141–148.
Tathiane, S. S., Schaefer, C. E. G. R., de Souza Lynch, L., Arato, H. D., Viana, J. H. M., Filho, M. R. A., et al. (2009). Chemical, physical and micromorphological properties of termite mounds and adjacent soils along a toposequence in Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Catena, 76, 107–113.
Tooms, J. S., & Webb, J. S. (1961). Geochemical prospecting investigations in the Northern Rhodesian copper belt. Economic Geology, 56, 815–846.
Vasudeva Rao, M, Nagabhushana, J. C., & Jayagopal, A. V. (1989). Uranium mineralization in the middle proterozoic carbonate rocks of the Cuddapah super group, Southern Peninsular India. Exploration and Research for Atomic Minerals, 2, 29–38.
Watson, J. P. (1962). The soil below a termite mound. Journal of Soil Science, 13, 46–51.
Watson, J. P. (1970). Contribution of termites to development of zinc anomaly in Kalahari sand. Inst. Min. Metallurgy, 79, B53–B59.
Watson, J. P. (1972). The distribution of gold in termite mounds and soils at a gold anomaly in Kalahari sand. Soil Science, 113, 317–321.
Watson, J. P. (1974). Calcium carbonate in termite mounds. Nature, 247, 72.
Watson, J. P. (1975). The composition of termite (Macrotermes s.) mounds on the soil derived from basic rocks in three rainfall zones of Rhodesia. Geoderma, 14, 147–158.
Watson, J. P. (1976). The composition of mounds of the termite Macrotermes falciger on soil derived from granite in three rainfall zones of Rhodesia. Journal of Soil Science, 27, 495–502.
Watson, J. P. (1977). The use of mounds of the termite Macrotermes falciger (Gerstacker) as a soil amendment. Journal of Soil Science, 28, 664–672.
Watson, J. P. (1979). The distribution of gold in termite mounds and soils at a gold anomaly in Kalahari sand. Soil Science, 113, 317–321.
West, W. F. (1965). Some unconventional ideas on prospecting. Chamber Mines Journal, (Rhodesia), 7, 40–42.
West, W. F. (1970). Termite prospecting. The Bulawayo Symp. papers: No.2. Chamber Mines Journal, (Rhodesia), 12, 32–35.
Wood, T. G. (1988). Termites and the soil environment. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 6, 228–236.
Wood, T. G., & Sands, W. A. (1978). The role of termites in ecosystems. In M. V. Brain (Ed.), Production ecology of ants and termites (pp. 245–292). Cambridge: Univ. Press.
Wood, T. G., Johnson, R. A., & Anderson, J. M. (1983). Modification of soil in Nigerian savanna by soil-feeding Cubitermes (Isoptera Termitidea). Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 15, 575–579.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arveti, N., Reginald, S., Kumar, K.S. et al. Biogeochemical study of termite mounds: a case study from Tummalapalle area of Andhra Pradesh, India. Environ Monit Assess 184, 2295–2306 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2118-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2118-3