کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
---|---|---|---|---|
2026344 | 1070026 | 2006 | 7 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |
![عکس صفحه اول مقاله: Nutrient spatial variability in biogenic structures of Nasutitermes (Termitinae; Isoptera) in a gallery forest of the Colombian ‘Llanos’ Nutrient spatial variability in biogenic structures of Nasutitermes (Termitinae; Isoptera) in a gallery forest of the Colombian ‘Llanos’](/preview/png/2026344.png)
By definition ‘ecosystem engineers’ are those organisms capable to modify physically the environment by producing ‘biogenic’ structures (BS). Large macroinvertebrates like termites, earthworms and ants produce BS with distinguishable physico-chemical properties. We measured total Corg, NH4+ and NO3− contents in the BS produced by two species of Neotropical termites (subfamily Nasutermitinae) in a gallery forest (GF) of the Eastern Plains of Colombia. We sampled from the top of the BS to the edge at proportional distances, i.e. 20–100% for the largest BS in the soil surface and 50–100% for the smallest arboricole BS. Control soil was sampled 1 m apart from the BS. Values of total Corg were high in the BS produced by Nasutitermes sp1 (epigeic mound), while a high N mineralization process was observed in the same BS and in the Nasutitermes sp2 arboreal nest. The role of these two ecosystem engineers in nutrient cycling is discussed.
Journal: Soil Biology and Biochemistry - Volume 38, Issue 5, May 2006, Pages 1132–1138