A quantitative study of seasonal foraging by the grass harvesting termite,Trinervitermes geminatus(Wasmann), (Isoptera, Nasutitermitinae) in Southern Guinea savanna, Mokwa, Nigeria
✍ Scribed by C. E. Ohiagu
- Book ID
- 104733379
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1979
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 490 KB
- Volume
- 40
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0029-8549
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✦ Synopsis
Trinervitermes geminatus (Wasmann) harvests standing grass tussocks which are cut into pieces and carried back to the nest. During this activity a certain proportion is left on the soil surface as litter whilst some is ingested. Foraging is mainly accomplished during the dry season (mid-October to the end of April) for periods of 2-4 h daily, either early in the morning, in the evening, or occasionally during both morning and evening. The duration and daily pattern of foraging is partly dependent on temperature, with a lower temperature threshold of 20° C and an upper threshold of 35° C below or above which foraging is restricted.The quantity of grass cut down and carried back to the nest by a population of 737 m (3.08 g m) was estimated at 60.3 kg haa with approximately 18 kg haa cut and left as litter. Estimated consumption whilst foraging was approximately 20.4 kg haa, giving a total consumption of about 81 kg haa. Compared with a total estimated grass production of 3157 kg haa and consumption by cattle of 1404 kg haa, the quantity of grass removed by T. geminatus, amounting to only 3.1% of the net primary production, did not appear to be economically significant in this locality.