Brossard Michel auteur aut IRD Lopez Hernandez D. auteur aut IRD Lepage Michel auteur aut IRD Leprun Jean-Claude auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Nest structures of two termite species (Trinervitermes spp.) with epigeal (above-ground) mounds were analyzed to compare their nutrient status with that of adjacent soils. To take into account soil variability, the observations and samplings were made in three toposequences of different and representative West African savanna soils. The data showed the high degree of adaptation of these termite species to a large range of soil types and environments. Mounds of Trinervitermes geminatus and Trinervitermes trinervius, both grass-feeders, contained more clay, organic matter (OM), and exchangeable cations than the surrounding surface layer soil. The storage of OM and exchangeable cations was determined for T. geminatus nests and compared to the surrounding soil. Despite substantial nutrient storage in mounds, its total weight appeared low when compared to the nutrient storage in the surrounding 0-15 cm of soil surface layer. This illustrates how contradictory points of view on the use of termite mounds in agriculture need to be clarified using a classical approach that takes into account data by species; and this also evaluates the contribution of different termite mounds to nutrient fluxes and storage and the exact stocking rate of living mounds. specialized termite nests savannas clay organic matter exchangeable cations soil fertility 068 074 43 4 437-447 2007 0178-2762 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010037815 10.1007/s00374-006-0121-6 0178-2762 [F B010037815] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010037815 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2007/03/010037815.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2007-03-30 2017-08-23 fdi:010037815 fre