Jouquet Pascal auteur aut IRD Chintakunta S. auteur aut IRD Bottinelli Nicolas auteur aut IRD Subramanian S. auteur aut IRD Caner L. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Termites are considered soil engineers due to their effects on soil properties in tropical ecosystems, which include the production of biogenic aggregates with different physical and chemical properties to the surrounding environment. How termites influence the dynamics of aggregates on the soil surface is still poorly understood. In this study, we sampled 50-250, 250-2000 and >2000 mu m soil aggregates from the wall of termite mound nests produced by Odontotermes obesus (Blattoidea, Macrotermitinae subfamily) in a Ferralsol and in a Vertisol in Southern India and analyzed their stability in water and to ultrasonic agitation. Our study shows that the influence of termites on the stability of soil aggregates varies depending on the properties of soil. The concentrations in C and N were lower in termite mound soils compared to the control soil aggregates in the Ferralsol for all the soil aggregate size fractions whereas in the Vertisol, the C and N contents were only lower in soil aggregates >2000 mu m (i.e., no significant difference for aggregates <2000 mu m). No difference in clay, silt or sand content was measured between the termite mound wall and the control soil. Soil aggregate stability was reduced for all size categories of aggregate in the Ferralsol but it was only reduced for soil macro-aggregates >250 mu m in the Vertisol. Since micro-aggregates <250 mu m are considered to predominantly protect soil organic matter in the long term pools, the impact of termites on C protection and nutrient cycling may be higher in Ferralsols than in Vertisols. specialized Ferralsol Vertisol Fungus-growing termites Aggregate hierarchy model Odontotermes obesus INDE ZONE TROPICALE 074 068 101 117-123 2016 0929-1393 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066832 10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.02.001 0929-1393 [F B010066832] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066832 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2016/05/010066832.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2016-06-02 2017-08-23 fdi:010066832 fre