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Multi-scale pattern analysis of a mound-building termite species

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Abstract

Termite mounds are a widespread feature in most African savannas. These structures exhibit high nutrient contents and often host a special vegetation composition. In this study, we analysed mound distribution patterns of a fungus-growing termite species, Macrotermes michaelseni, an important ecosystem engineer in the savannas of Namibia. Inhabited mounds taller than 0.7 m were regularly distributed. We view this pattern as a result of intraspecific competition. The heights of mounds taller than 0.7 m were correlated positively with their distance, such that mounds closer together, i.e. up to inter-mound distances of approximately 50 m, tended to be smaller than average. This indicates that intraspecific competition for foraging areas controls mound distribution pattern and colony size. Differences between mound heights increased on the spatial scale up to inter-mound distances of 80 m. We assume that the foundation of new colonies is only possible in unoccupied patches. In such patches, young colonies are able to occur close together as they have a relatively low foraging demand and therefore a low spatial demand. In contrast, their critical distance to taller colonies with higher foraging demands is rather large, which leads to the observed increasing difference of mound heights with increasing distances between them.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank Elfi and Johan Kotze for support and permission to work on their farm as well as Joachim Nopper for his field assistance. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) of Namibia granted the permit to conduct this study. It was funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the framework of BIOTA Southern Africa (01LC0624J) and Helmholtz-EOS. We are grateful to Dr. Klaus Birkhofer for helpful suggestions during an early stage of this manuscript. Prof. Manfred Kaib and two anonymous referees helped to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    C. Grohmann & K. E. Linsenmair

  2. Biocentre Klein Flottbek and Botanical Garden, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609, Hamburg, Germany

    J. Oldeland

  3. TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute of Stochastics, Prüferstraße 9, 09596, Freiberg, Germany

    D. Stoyan

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  1. C. Grohmann
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Correspondence to C. Grohmann.

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Grohmann, C., Oldeland, J., Stoyan, D. et al. Multi-scale pattern analysis of a mound-building termite species. Insect. Soc. 57, 477–486 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-010-0107-0

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