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Analysis of termite diversity (Blattodea: Isoptera) in the Gourma Province in Eastern Burkina Faso

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Abstract

Termites are insects found in tropical regions where they play a major ecological role. The objective of this study was to inventory termite species present in the Gourma province in eastern Burkina Faso in relation to habitat variations in order to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity. For this purpose, we sampled nine sites from three habitats (savannahs, fields, and fallows), i.e. three sites per habitat, using a standard rapid harvesting method for two weeks in August 2018. From this sampling, we identified 1285 individuals from which 18 termite species, 11 genera and 2 families. Our collections documented five species and one genus (Schedorhinotermes) recorded for the first time in Burkina Faso. The analysis of occurrence indices revealed that Macrotermes bellicosus was a constant savannah species, and Nasutitermes sp. and Schedorhinotermes sp. were accessory species whereas the majority of the species were rare. The Shannon and equitability indices showed that savannah supported a greater richness of termites (sixteen species) and a more equitable distribution of species, likely because savannah was less disturbed compared with crop fields and fallows and was therefore richer in food resources. Statistical analysis of functional groups revealed significant variation in termite in groups II and IV abundance among sampled habitats probably in relation to soil, vegetation, climate and anthropic disturbances. Our study has provided an update to the list of termite species and highlighted the ecological importance of this taxonomic group in Burkina Faso.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Issaka Ouedraogo for the map realization. We also thank the forest guide Idrissa Sawadogo for his support in the field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), 01 BP 1757, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

    Mayouré Edith Ilboudo

  2. Laboratoire d’Entomologie Fondamentale et Appliquée (LEFA), UFR/SVT, Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

    Mayouré Edith Ilboudo, Aboulaye Sankara, Zakaria Ilboudo & Antoine Sanon

  3. Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), CREAF de Kamboinsé, 01 BP 476, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

    Antoine Waongo & Fousséni Traore

  4. Laboratoire de Zoologie des Invertébrés terrestres, Institut fondamental d’Afrique noire Cheikh Anta Diop (IFAN-Ch. A. Diop), UCAD, B. P. 206, Dakar, Sénégal

    Abdoulaye Baïla Ndiaye

  5. Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, B-150, Brussels, Belgium

    Yves Roisin

  6. Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Nazi Boni, 01BP 1091 Bobo 01, Dindéresso, Burkina Faso

    Fernand Sankara

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  1. Mayouré Edith Ilboudo
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Ilboudo, M.E., Waongo, A., Ndiaye, A.B. et al. Analysis of termite diversity (Blattodea: Isoptera) in the Gourma Province in Eastern Burkina Faso. Int J Trop Insect Sci 42, 3115–3125 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00855-x

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