@article{fdi:010081466,
  title = {{A}re wood-feeding and fungus-growing termites so different ? {C}omparison of the organization and properties of {M}icrocerotermes pakistanicus and {O}dontotermes obesus soil constructions in the {W}estern {G}hats, {I}ndia},
  author = {{H}arit, {A}. {K}. and {R}amasamy, {E}. {V}. and {B}abu, {N}. and {R}ajasree, {M}. {J}. and {M}onsy, {P}. and {B}ottinelli, {N}icolas and {C}heik, {S}. and {J}ouquet, {P}ascal},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his study aimed to compare the properties of the constructions made by {M}icrocerotermes pakistanicus, a wood-feeding termite species building carton nests, to those made by the fungus-growing termite {O}dontotermes obesus in a secondary forest in the {W}estern {G}hats region of {K}erala. {X}-ray computed tomography ({X}-ray {CT}) showed that the pinnacle of {O}. obesus termitaria was very thick and compact with a central cavity and numerous unconnected galleries in its inner part. {C}onversely, the construction of {M}. pakistanicus appeared as a very porous media made of abundant and connected galleries following a radial trajectory, and the galleries were separated from the others by a thin wall. {D}espite significant differences in terms of soil chemical properties, {O}dontotermes obesus termitaria and sheetings had similar properties to those of the surrounding topsoil. {C}onversely, {M}. pakistanicus nest had unique chemical properties distinct from those of {O}. obesus or the surrounding soil. {M}oreover, although {M}. pakistanicus builds carton nests from its faeces, minerals were also measured within its termitaria. {I}n conclusion, this study shows the very different properties of {O}. obesus and {M}. pakistanicus constructs. {I}t also suggests the need for soil ecologists to consider carton-nests as a third group of soil-nest type, in addition to those built by soil or litter feeders and fungus-growers which edify termitaria from soil and different amount of organic matter. {F}urther studies are also needed to determine their functional impacts on soil and nutrient dynamics.},
  keywords = {{O}dontotermes obesus ; {M}icrocerotermes pakistanicus ; {S}oil ; {N}est ; {S}heeting ; {X}-ray {CT} ; {INDE} ; {GHATS} {OCCIDENTAUX}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{I}nsectes {S}ociaux},
  volume = {[{E}arly access]},
  numero = {},
  pages = {[10 p.]},
  ISSN = {0020-1812},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.1007/s00040-021-00818-4},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010081466},
}