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

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.