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Diversity and abundance of termites along an altitudinal gradient in Khao Kitchagoot National Park, Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2006

Tetsushi Inoue
Affiliation:
JST Bio-Recycle Project, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan JST PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
Yoko Takematsu
Affiliation:
JST Bio-Recycle Project, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
Akinori Yamada
Affiliation:
Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga 520-2113, Japan
Yuichi Hongoh
Affiliation:
JST Bio-Recycle Project, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
Toru Johjima
Affiliation:
JST Bio-Recycle Project, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan JST PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
Shigeharu Moriya
Affiliation:
JST Bio-Recycle Project, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Graduate School of Integrated Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
Yupaporn Sornnuwat
Affiliation:
Royal Forest Department, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
Charunee Vongkaluang
Affiliation:
Royal Forest Department, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
Moriya Ohkuma
Affiliation:
JST Bio-Recycle Project, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan JST PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
Toshiaki Kudo
Affiliation:
JST Bio-Recycle Project, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Graduate School of Integrated Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan

Abstract

Termites are dominant invertebrates in tropical soils (Wood & Sands 1978) and are important mediators of decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems (Abe & Matsumoto 1979, Lawton et al. 1996, Lee & Wood 1971, Matsumoto & Abe 1979, Wood & Sands 1978, Yamada et al. 2005). Furthermore, these processes, such as carbon mineralization and nitrogen fixation, are dependent on the species assemblage structure of the termite community (Lawton et al. 1996, Yamada et al. 2005, 2006). Feeding habits of termites reflect their metabolic processes. The three major isopteran groups – wood-feeders, fungus-growers (fungus-growing wood/litter feeders), soil-feeders – appear to play very different roles in the decomposition process (Tayasu et al. 1997, Wood 1976, Wood & Sands 1978, Yamada et al. 2005). Consequently, the relative abundance of each feeding group provides useful information on the function of the termite assemblage in an ecosystem.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

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