@article{fdi:010037977,
  title = {{R}ole of the fungus-growing termite {P}seudacanthotermes spiniger ({I}soptera, {M}acrotermitinae) in the dynamic of clay and soil organic matter content. {A}n experimental analysis},
  author = {{J}ouquet, {P}ascal and {B}ottinelli, {N}icolas and {L}ata, {J}. {C}. and {M}ora, {P}hilippe and {C}aquineau, {S}andrine},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his work focuses on the interactions between fungus-growing termites ({I}soptera, {M}acrotermitinae), clay particles and soil organic matter ({SOM}). {A}s major bioturbators in tropical ecosystems, termites create biogenic structures (galleries, sheetings, nests, mounds, fungus-comb chambers) that strongly influence the physical and chemical properties of soils. {D}ifferent kinds of substrates were given to {P}seudacanthotermes spiniger, one of the main famous {M}acrotermitinae termite species in {W}est {A}frica: (i) clay (mainly illite), (ii) a mix of sand and clay, or (iii) sand. {W}hen we proposed both clay and sand, we observed a high selection of clay by termites. {O}bservation of the properties of biogenic structures by {X}ray analysis showed that illite contained in the sheetings was strongly modified when compared to the bulk soil. {W}e argue that the tennite's saliva and/or the action of stimulated associate microorganisms have extracted un-exchangeable potassium, then leading to the creation of smectite layers. {T}hus, the termites {P} spiniger, thanks to their building activity, can be seen as weathering agents of clay minerals. {SOM} content of the biogenic structures was found to be highly variable depending on the type of soil used (clay vs. sand) with enriched or impoverished {C} and {N} contents. {F}inally, we discuss how the auto-ecological requirements of termites (the balance between the cost of organic matter incorporation and the stability of the rehandled substrates) can affect soil and ecosystem functioning.},
  keywords = {termites ; clay weathering ; clay selection ; {SOM} content ; {PCI} ; {WCI}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}eoderma},
  volume = {139},
  numero = {1-2},
  pages = {127--133},
  ISSN = {0016-7061},
  year = {2007},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.01.011},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010037977},
}