Lopes de Oliveira M. I. auteur aut IRD Brunet Didier auteur aut IRD Mitja Danielle auteur aut IRD Cardoso W. S. auteur aut IRD Benito N. P. auteur aut IRD Guimaraes M. F. auteur aut IRD Brossard Michel auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access This study aimed to determine the number of termite epigeal nests and estimate the soil turning capacity of termites in cultivated pasture environments and in a native vegetation area. Surveys were conducted in four areas: three pasture areas and a Cerrado area, measuring 5 ha each. For each nest, the height, the perimeter and diameter at the base were measured. The volume of each mound was calculated. Turned soil was determined by randomly sampling 30 termite mounds in a pasture area for bulk density determinations. The mean number of termite mounds per ha was 408; the highest number of termite nests (672 per ha) was found in the 10-year-old pasture. In terms of termite mound density, there was no difference between the Cerrado, 3-year-old pasture, and 3-year-old intercropped pasture treatments. The total area occupied by termite nests ranged from 0.4 to 1.0%. The mean bulk density of the nest materials was 1.05 g cm(-3). The total nests volume ranged from 4 to 11 m(3) ha(-1). The total mass of the soil turned by the termites ranged from 3.4 to 13.4 ton. ha(-1). specialized turned soil volume termite soil macrofauna 074 076 33 1 181-185 2011 1679-9275 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053792 10.4025/actasciagron.v33i1.7075 1679-9275 [F B010053792] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053792 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers15-10/010053792.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2011-10-06 2017-08-23 fdi:010053792 fre